Friday is Here!

Hello everyone,

The week has gone by so fast I forgot it was Friday!

I'm sharing some beautiful sky shots from November 7, 2020. We had such a beautiful, sunny few days and I was very grateful for them. At this time of year they are few and far between.

On Tuesday I mailed some parcels to my niece and nephew for Advent. I still have to prepare their Christmas presents. It has been raining all week and this past Wednesday we had a holiday when we pause in our day to day activities and remember those men and women who have served us in the various wars. In addition to remembrance, I used some time in the day to prepare snail mail to send to a friend.

Despite my desire to get the garden cleared up and patio furniture put away by the end of October,  I still haven't done it. Today is Thursday and it rained more heavily than usual. But tonight I went out and purchased a patio table cover to help in the task. My plan is to wash the patio chair covers and the patio table and cover them all up for the winter.

 

I've been busy this week dealing with a few small items I've been procrastinating about for one reason or another. I didn't do any decluttering.  But one floor fan went to the recycling center. Even though it works, it is on it's last legs. As always there was lots of paper and containers that needed to go to recycling too. Those ones I just take to the recycling room.

A few days ago, our top doctor in the province brought in new restrictions due to ever climbing Covid 19 numbers and the country's top doctor recommended wearing 3 ply masks. I went out and bought another box of masks in addition to what I already have on hand. I also bought toilet paper and hope to buy some more this weekend. I don't go crazy and stock pile but want to make sure I have a reasonable amount of paper on hand this time in case more measures are brought in in two weeks.

We have at least been eating well during this rainy, cold season and I've probably spent more energy thinking of a variety of meals each week and more time cooking them than I normally do. It keeps me occupied during these difficult times and also makes me think of ways to use a variety of fruits and vegetables and other foods that I find in the weekly sales.

This first dish is roast beef covered in bacon before the final roasting. In the pot are onions, cauliflower and red peppers. On the side I made brown rice and green peas.

Another day we had spaghettini topped with a stir fry of big prawns, broccoli, cauliflower, onions and red peppers in a garlic-soy sauce. Wednesday night I made ham and pea soup but didn't take a photo.

Did any of you watch the Country Music Association Awards (CMAs) on Wednesday night?  I did and I watched it again on Thursday night on my PVR to enjoy the performances a 2nd time. Especially wonderful was seeing the great Charley Pride who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. I remember listening to Charley Pride as a young teenager while I babysat the neighbourhood children for my pocket money. He was really inspiring to me then and he continues to be with his fabulous career and his deeply humble nature. I always wondered how he handled being a "cowboy" as a black man since he would definitely be in the minority.  The CMAA show was great and I enjoyed all the performances by the various bands and performers some of whom I'd never heard of before. I also enjoyed the co-hosting and singing done by Reba McIntyre and Darius Rucker, two great talents. Those of you who are not country music fans may know of Darius Rucker from his days fronting the band, "Hootie and the Blowfish". The band still exists but they took a long hiatus of 10 years while Darius pursued a solo career in country music.

Thursday night I made roast pork with onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms. Side dishes were mashed potatoes and green peas along with some gravy. It was very chilly outside and I got a bit wet running to stores in the rain so the dish really hit the spot tonight.

Apples seem to be a big feature in the stores right now. I bought a bag of Pink Lady and I'm snacking on those. I also bought a bag of Gala apples which I will likely use to make apple pie or apple crisp, perhaps both. I always think of this beautiful scripture when I see a beautiful apple.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."  Proverbs 25:11

This verse reminds me how important it is that we have the right words to say at the right time. I am often in the position of having to know just what to say as it seems people I know do like to talk to me whenever they are going through difficult times. This week a friend of mine is going through marital distress. I try to say the right things that would not only be scriptural but also comforting. I sure hope that things work out for the good of everyone in this situation.

 Last, but not least, I enjoyed a few pomegranates this week.

 “Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates
With choice fruits, henna with nard plants," Song of Songs 4:13
 

Pomegranates are so delicious. I love the juicy seeds and I'd like to get more.  But soon we'll be fully in the season of mandarin oranges and I buy a lot of oranges in the lead up to Christmas.

I remember a funny story from when I was very young, in Grade 4. A boy in my classroom used to come to school every day with his lunch which consisted of 1 package of deli meats, 1 entire loaf of white bread and 1 pomegranate. He ate it all every day. I remember being amazed by that and also being intrigued by the pomegranate which no one else I knew ate. In fact, I only knew the name of the fruit from the Bible but no one ate it that I knew of except for this one boy. It's funny the memories that remain with us through our lifetimes. I often think of that boy when I eat a pomegranate and wonder what happened to him. I don't recall his name.

With that I wish you all a wonderful weekend and a safe weekend ahead.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Lest We Forget

This post is in remembrance of the many veterans (and those who supported them) who fought so valiantly that we might enjoy the fragile freedoms we have today.

I hope the younger people will try to continue to remember. I read in the news on November 10, 2020, that fewer Canadians bought a poppy this year than in 2019 and many don't know what the poppy represents. Here is a link that will explain the Poppy Campaign and the importance of it.

On Wednesday, November 11 at 11 a.m. I will remember the mighty and the fallen.

God bless them all. ♥♥♥

October Wrap Up

Hello everyone, 

I trust you all had a good week. I've had a very busy and productive week. Much of it has been spent catching up on a lot of little things that needed to be done and it feels good to get some of it out of the way.

I also was able to get a flu shot out of the way. It's a good thing too because most of the pharmacies here seem to have run out of the vaccine and they don't know when they will get more.

I went out on Hallowe'en evening to get my flu shot at one pharmacy. When I got there I learned they were all out. I took these night photos of the autumn leaves as I made my way to the pharmacy. I thought the autumn leaves looked so pretty with the night lights shining on them.

The big structure you see in the distance is a heritage building that is undergoing repair. The workers fully enclosed the building and are now wrapping it in plastic so that the work will be protected from the wet and rain over the winter months.

I took a photo of the moon but it is only a speck in my phone camera.

Since it was Hallowe'en a number of people on the streets were in costume.While I was in the pharmacy there was a man wearing a Little Red Riding Hood cape. Can you see him at the end of the aisle in the photo below? I'm sorry I wasn't able to get a full view of him for you.

 

Thankfully the night in my neighbourhood was very quiet other than the fireworks that went on until the wee hours of the morning, I heard that wasn't the case in the downtown area where the number of people gathered to drink and party; all while standing too closely together and not wearing face masks.

On Tuesday,  I took a trip to the library to return several books and pick up one more.  Since Covid I've been reading mostly digital books.  But not every book is available as an ebook.

The most recent book I read, A Recipe for a  Perfect Wife, was a very satisfying read though I found the ending unexpected and a little bit unfinished. It did not take away from my enjoyment. Basically this book is a dual story: one of the homemaker/would be writer who purchased a home in rural New York along with her husband.  The other story is about the previous home maker who lived in the house during the 50s. Basically the new home maker finds the old letters and recipes of the former occupant and begins cooking and dressing like a housewife of the 50s. The basic premise is that the life you see a person living, is not necessarily the life you think it is. In both stories, the women are trying to find a balance and an independence in their lives that neither of them actually have.

The next book I hope to read is called Elizabeth and Her German Garden written by Australian-born writer Elizabeth von Arnim.  It was first published in 1898.  It's a year long dairy of the author's experiences in learning to garden and about her social life. The book is very popular and has gone through numerous reprints over the many years since it was first published.

I'm also reading The Little Common Sense Book of Investing. In this book the author, John C. Bogle is basically trying to teach the reader to invest in index funds rather than waste time and money on investment managers and timing the markets.

Besides reading, I continued with deep cleaning and a little decluttering here and there.  Recently I ordered a few items on line which didn't fit (rain shoes and a long sleeved top) and so along with the time spent to look for just the right thing to order, I've had to spend time preparing the returns by mail.  In addition to on line shopping I made a trip to a brick and mortar store where I purchased a carpet cleaner. I haven't owned a good carpet cleaner for many, many years and have only been using a lightweight steam carpet cleaner.  It does keep things looking better but really doesn't give a good cleaning.

Lately, the carpets have been bothering me a lot. I thought maybe it is time to replace them but I do not have the funds for that, nor do I want the upheaval that would bring right now.  After reading the reviews on the carpet cleaner I took a chance and purchased the one in the photo below.  I was so eager to find out if it worked well and I didn't even take the time to pre-treat stains.  I have to say I am very pleased with the results.  In the photo you can see the reservoir of dirty water after cleaning the high traffic areas in the front room.  I intend to do another more thorough cleaning before I decorate for Christmas.

Update on Kenyan Missions

Eunice continues to be in private hospital in Nakuru.  She hasn't improved much in the almost two years she has been there though we continue to hope and pray for more improvement.  I guess one would say she is more or less stable though from time to time she has a downturn and needs blood and other medical interventions and medicines.  We still hope to move her to her hometown.  However it is yet to be determined when and how, or even if, it will be  physically possible once we find a spot for her in Kericho town.

Some of you might remember Ernest who got run down by a motor vehicle last Spring. He recovered with the help of a donor who reads this blog though his recovery was very slow.  A few short months after his full recovery he suffered a bad slip in the mud.  He fell and fractured his leg. Due to him trying to break his fall, he also suffered a dislocated joint. He was attended to at the local hospital and was recovering at home. On the day he was to have his plaster removed it was discovered that his leg was very inflamed and that he had a blood clot. They tried to help him at the local hospital but in the end transported him to the missions hospital near Bomet. The doctors there were able to help him though it was touch and go for awhile. He is now back and home and will be getting daily physiotherapy with the help of his brother.

Pastor Jonah also did not go unscathed. He had a terrible cold and some kind of infection. At first we were afraid it might be Covid,but thankfully the tests were returned negative. Instead he had some kind of bacterial infection which cleared up after a week of medicines.  I think this is the same bug I had when I last travelled to Kenya though Jonah also had a very bad cough.  Sadly, a cousin to Jonah also lost her husband to cancer this past week so it has been a very sad week for the family.

I've heard from my sponsored boys in Kenya and Ethiopia. Sadly, John who is the eldest, lost his mother to a brain tumour. She had been sick for a few years but I didn't know that she had a brain tumour. The boy's family is now preparing to lay the mom to rest. Thankfully the children and their father are not sick.  

Ian, the other boy I sponsor lives in Solai near Nakuru.  He too is doing okay. 

Wondimu, the third boy is from Ethiopia and he and his family are also fine. 

I give thanks that all the boys hey are safe during these challenging times. My heart aches for John and his little brother. They are so young and now have to go without the love of their mother. At least they have a father who seems active in their care. I think the father has had to take a bigger role than usual in the care of the children due to the mother's long term illness.  I know the father himself has been going through a tough time emotionally. No doubt the stresses and concerns of his late wife's illness over many years has caused him both emotional and financial stress.

Last but not least, the young Engineering graduate I was hoping would come to Canada to study was accepted for admittance into the Engineering Board of Kenya. He had to pay an application fee and wait for 4-6 weeks after submitting documentation. Then the Board wrote to him to let him know he was accepted and to provide registration instructions.  In a few weeks he should be fully recognized as an engineer in Kenya.

With this post and updates, I say a final goodbye to October.  It's been a good month for me despite the challenges we all face, the delays involved in dealing with my personal business and the issues faced by those I care about. I pray that November will be an even better month, not just for me but for those in Kenya, my family members and loved ones near and far and all of you dear readers. Stay safe.

 Thank you to those of you who pray for and support the missions in Kenya. May God richly bless you and enlarge your territories.

October is Already Gone!

 Hi friends, 

I hope you are all doing fine and enjoying the change of seasons. Since I last posted a few days ago the weather has warmed up considerably and I can now turn down my thermostat. Usually when it warms up at this time of year it means rain so I expect that over the coming days.

When it's raining it's a good time to cosy up with a good book and hot drink.  Here are the next few books in my reading pile.

Book number 59, reading goals 2020.

Book number 59, reading goals 2020.

Book #60, reading goals 2020

 

The red blob in the bowl is home made ice cream which I made Tuesday night in my Vitamix blender. This is a photo taken as an afterthought after the ice cream had been sitting for about 20 minutes. It is made of a frozen wild berry mix, chia seeds and cream. Yum! It's one of my favourite snacks. A variation on this is making a smoothie with a vegan protein powder, berries and water (no milk, cream or yogurt).

I went late night shopping on Wednesday night for a carpet/rug cleaner I have been eyeing. It was on sale at a local store. It is also available on Amazon for the same price but I prefer to get it in the brick and mortar store when I can.  I also bought stain remover and soap cleanser for the machine.  Now I am all set to clean the carpets. My goal is to do a thorough cleaning of all the traffic areas before I start decorating for Christmas.  I don't plan on moving the furniture unless it's chairs or plants or something small.

On the way home from shopping there was a beautiful sunset over the Fraser River. Unfortunately I could not stop to take a photograph for you.  By the time I got home and started dinner it was quite late.  By the time dinner was ready I was feeling a bit light headed and I ate too much as my blood sugar was probably a little too low.

The stuffed pork chops were just right.  Normally the pork chops on offer at the store are very lean.  But these ones were quite fat and had a lot of marbling.  This turned out well because I like roasting my meat for a long time but sometimes they get too dry if they don't have adequate fat.  We had sides of caramelized onions, mashed potatoes and a simple salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes and avocado in a dressing of Balsamic vinegar and grapeseed oil.  Everything was delicious. It sounds funny for me to say that but I can appreciate my own cooking and I'm happy when whatever I've made hits the spot otherwise it would be a waste of food and cooking effort.

 

Since I haven't had time to take some good photos I am sharing some that I took in early October of 2019.

Here is another photo from my archives.

This one was taken at the Stanley Park downtown along the beginning of the seawall (south side)

This dog had so much fun running into the ocean to fetch the stick. It always amazes me how dogs never seem to tire of playing fetch with their owners. As you can see I shot this photo into the sun. I always read you shouldn't do that but personally I like to do it from time to time.

 

These little bird photos are also from my archives. I'm afraid I don't capture birds very well because they move too fast for me.  I am not one hundred percent certain but I think the first bird (first 3 photos) are of a sparrow. It looks somewhat bedraggled because I believe it was a super hot summer. I think the last two photos are of little chickadees. These are the two main types of birds that come to my patio besides the hummingbird. Update:  Thank you to Eileen over at Saturday's Critters for identifying the first bird which is a finch not a sparrow.

Given Saturday is Halloween I am posting a few photos of spider webs.  I do not celebrate on October 31st but I know many people do. I'm finding people are getting quite creative about the way to celebrate since the health officials are strongly urging people not to go out door to door.

I cannot believe how fast this month has gone. I know I say that quite often, lol but it is so true that time passes far too quickly. I don't want to waste a minute of the time I have. I don't count relaxation like reading or watching television as wasted time for the most part because we all do need to build relaxation in our daily lives so we can stay happy and enjoy life more.

Speaking of happiness, I found a graphic some months back and meant to share (I don't believe I ever did). The suggestions for being happy apply at any time but maybe this year they are more important than ever.

 Tell me dear reader, do you agree with these suggestions for happiness and do you have any additional suggestions?

 

Thank you for stopping by. Please stay safe until we meet again in this space or yours.

I will be linking up with 

Skywatch Friday

and

Saturday's Critters.

A Gentle Start to the Week

This was the view on Sunday evening as I headed out to do some late night grocery shopping and make a stop at a pharmacy a bit further afield. I was a bit tired since I have a cold so I got a late start.  I'm glad I did get out because I needed the air and the walk. It was a bit chilly and the first time I've needed to wrap a scarf around my neck.  It's been especially cold here over the past several days, especially at night.  The temperature is down to 3 or 4 degrees Celsius at night and around 7 during the day. By the end of the week it should go back up to around 12 Celsius.

 

 

When I'm tired, I certainly don't feel like making dinner so I'm always proud of myself when I manage to get dinner ready.  I usually try to keep my menu very simple.  On Sunday night I sliced up some potatoes, onions, yellow bell peppers and sirloin tip steak, seasoned with a bit of pepper and a few splashes of soy sauce,  put it all in the dutch oven and roasted it for about 45 minutes. I ate mine with a scoop of my favourite chili oil. Delicious.

 

 

 

 

On Sunday I was also able to declutter and recycle several large metal coffee cans and lots of plastic containers that fresh berries come in. I really wish they would package berries in paper containers like they used to. I guess because most of the berries are imported the juices would soak through the paper.  Sunday afternoon a woman came by to pick up a couple pair of shoes I gave away.

 

I also washed this small star quilt I gifted to my mom many years ago and which now belongs to me.  The dowel holding the quilt and the wall also needed a good cleaning from all the dust that accumulates.  All the walls need a good washing but that is a large job so I just do some cleaning here and there.  It's better to do a little at a time than to do nothing at all.  Another of the many jobs I have to do around my home is to remove the one wall sconce (I gave the other one to a friend) and put up two new ones that I purchased some time ago. The sconces I bought are black as that was the only colour available.  I'd prefer to have 2 white ones so I've been holding out until I can find them.  If I can find white ones, the black ones will be put up in my living room area and I will then get rid of the floor lamps.

 

 

When I went shopping last night I picked up some wild salmon on a really good sale. I marinated it overnight in honey garlic sauce and baked it for Monday's dinner along with roasted, caramelized cauliflower and steamed brown rice. 

 

I can see in my photos that the last two dinners look quite bland and colourless.  Usually I try to make them more colourful because one eats with the eyes first.  But they were delicious anyway and nothing was wasted. If I can get to the grocery store again before Thursday's sale ends, I will buy 2 more heads of cauliflower.  At $3.00 a head, it is a bargain.

 

In January 2019 I travelled to Paris with my nephew.  We had a great time and both of us would like to return some day, maybe during the Fall or Spring seasons.  This year I've read a number of books set in Paris.  The most recent one was written by Kate Betts, an American fashion journalist who began her career at Fairfield Publications European office in Paris.  I found the book very interesting because she met the top fashion designers of the day: Karl Lagerfeld, Yves St. Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Christian Louboutin, Thierry Mugler and others.  I am not a fashionista and I do not follow the fashion trends but I found it interesting to have a peek into the world of Parisian fashion through the eyes of an American expat.

Unfortunately, Canada's Covid numbers have been escalating since our Thanksgiving weekend a few weeks ago.  New and various restrictions are being brought in in various provinces including British Columbia where I live in an effort to contain the virus. I continue to keep as isolated as possible and wear my mask whenever I have to go out and do business.  Otherwise there is not a lot of excitement around here in day to day life. That is fine by me because it allows me to get the tedious jobs done.

If all goes well, I'm hoping to have different scenery and photos for you over the coming weeks and months. Just bare with me for a while longer. 

What about your dear reader? What is keeping you busy and occupied during these Covid times?

Until I read from you, please stay safe and take care.

This and That

 Hi friends,

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo of the nursing station

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

We had snow in the north and at higher elevations (none in the city) for the past two weekends. The record snowfall  created havoc on the highways and some serious accidents as well.

 

 

 

On Saturday we also had a provincial election. I voted by mail in ballot along with almost 700,000 other people.  Approximately 500,000 people returned their mail in ballots on time to be counted but the counting doesn't start until November 2nd.  Even without the mail in ballots, the election was handily won by our incumbent Premier John Horgan.  He now has a majority government by which to rule.  That was his goal when he took a gamble and called an election a year earlier than required. His win is historic in that it is the very first time that the New Democratic Party (NDP) has won 2 consecutive elections in the province.

 

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

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

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