Thrush Green books 4, 5 & 6 + a clean and tidy home!

I am SO GLAD and greatful that I was able to get the counter, the island, the dining room table, coffee table and my reading table all tidied up! 

Dishes are done, the dishwasher is running right now and I feel so much better because things are clean orderly and not overwhelming in terms of mess, clutter or a sense of visual chaos.  One of our lovely friends had written me a card after hearing that I'd fractured my ankle and she commiserated because she's done the same thing. One thing she said that was so true is that it isn't just that you're physically injured but that you've lost control.  Suddenly you can't do basically anything you normally did. Cleaning, cooking, getting up and grabbing something, making food, anything. Especially at the beginning.  And you have to not only depend on others. But your patterns are totally taken away. And it's most likely, especially if you're the one who takes care of the house, even when people clean in your stead They don't know where things go. So things just seem totally out of control and disorganized.  And you can't do anything about it.  You're home, which has the opportunity,  one hopes, to be your Haven of Peace becomes something you can't contribute to in any active way.

Of course, I was also very sick with bronchitis and I had very bad insomnia that first week. So I was deeply physically depleted.  I'm still doing my best to replenish my physical self.... 

I love this mural/painting/large icon of St. Peter sinking in Christ grabbing his hand and looking at him with such love as he lives some out of the water.  It's at our local church. 

Somehow I'm missing number three of the thresh green series. I'm hoping it's at my parents house. I looked up when I bought it and I'd actually mailed it there so it's possible.  

I confess my ankle is a little sore LOL but I have such relief and joy from a clean home that a little soreness is okay.  I'll be careful tomorrow. It'll be easier to keep everything up because it's tidy now.  

The difficult thing especially with the coffee table and my reading table which is what I see all the time when I'm on the couch, is that my husband couldn't clean it. There was no way because it's all my things. My books ~ that is books, notebooks, pens.... But now I can look up and it's clean and tidy in orderly.  Hopefully the ankle pain will be better overnight. Usually it is. If it isn't then I really overdid it. But I'm not going to worry. 

Well.  I'm very grateful. 

I read this today ~ St. Sofian of Antim: Homily on the Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas.  This is a newly sainted monastic from Romania, St Sofian, and I like him very much.  What he's saying in this particular homily is very deep.  But he's also someone I trust and that's really special, comforting and it's good at times to read something that you know is currently to say the least beyond your pay grade LOL But isn't it Wonderful to know that being a Christian is a lifelong journey and that growing never ends.  It sure beats boredom! Not that I don't struggle with that at times. I am fallen human being.  I say that because boredom usually signifies, from what I've read, that is that there's something wrong within.  

Well back to the world of Thrush Green by Miss Read ☺️.  The last one I read the character Dotty who's very eccentric to say the least and was never good at taking care of herself finally has to be taken care of and learn that you have to take care of the body to be able to function.  This is something I'm thinking about because I don't always find it easy to do personally.  I know one thing I learned through this illness is I understand more of how physically depleting insomnia is.  I'm trying to do things to make that better.  We got green smoothies for me again and I certainly cannot fast strictly this year.  That would be the height of folly.   I'm very glad to have a priest who is my Confessor who understands that.  

We are having very warm weather this week.  But I looked at the 10-day forecast and it is to get colder again.  And so it goes! Maybe I've mentioned here. Before that there's a saying in New Jersey if you don't like the weather, wait a day 🤔🤣.  It's very variable. 😳☺️....

One of my blog friends asked for prayer: Renee.  We don't need to know what's going on to know that someone who God loves needs prayer.  So in your charity, please remember her and her family in your prayers.  

Well again I'm very thankful, I was able to go to confession and liturgy and have a clean house now.  Those are all deep blessings......  

May God have mercy on us.

Trush Green Book 2 + PT

Miss Read ~ Winter in Thrush Green

I remember years ago how Miss Read's books helped me, giving me relief when we were in a situation causing much worry and concern.  

Well, here I am, needing a boost and I am enjoying this book.  

Friendship is such a beautiful thing.  I love reading about it in these quiet books.

Well, I found a PT place.  I have had PT various times.  Here I am again.  I was looking at year 2017 on my blog (I often don't remember things) and my goodness I broke my ankle in May and was still dealing with it in August.  That's when I began reading DE Stevenson books.  

I also watched a lot of vintage TV.  This break is not as bad.  

This time around (reading the Miss Read books) I am admiring the good attitudes in characters, the courage and difference in people.  

Years ago a lady at my Ottawa parish died, someone we all loved very much.  She had conquered the fear of death and was a woman of great faith and prayer.  I remember praying that if I had to go through such sorrow, that I would grow because of it.  

This ankle break is a different thing but my prayer is basically the same: that God will use this to help heal me inside.  

Repentance I find is a journey of healing that is for our whole life.  But it is ultimately what we desire the most because it is what brings us in closer relationship with God, our hearts true and right desire.

A devotional from This Day is the Lord's by Corrie ten Boom.  

I really liked this one as well "that You (God) are able to give quietness into our hearts"

Well, I am glad for the Miss Read books.  They lighten the heart.

May God help and have mercy on us.

rain and struggle

I went to the doctor again yesterday.  I have a brace now instead of a walking boot.  I actually have more pain with the brace but walking itself is easier.  My feet are on the same level again.  The brace provides support but my ankle can move more. 

The doctor, when I asked if I can start taking walks, explained that I am not yet healed enough.  That I could make myself worse. I saw by the end of the day, with the increased foot pain (basically all over, the foot muscles have not been used much I guess in the last month), that my doctor was right about that.

Actually it's a rare thing to have someone be able to tell you concretly about the stages of healing.  So I am greatful.  

I know I am still healing inwardly from everything.  But I pray that this time will aid me in that.

Even though I knew I would struggle as I heal (physically) because I have to be housebound for weeks and emotionally that's hard for me.  I think it's hard for most people.

So I am trying to take it slow today.  By which I mean, not doing everything at once.  I hope to get dishes done today from yesterday.  I got the beginning of the Miss Read book series about the village Thrush Green.  They have really helped me before.  

I did some tidying already.  

But I realized, after about an hour up having tea and breakfast, tidying, that I was tired and need rest.  So I am.  

It's wonderful that God doesn't leave us to heal alone.  May God have mercy on us.

two YA books from 1998, tea, study and meals

 

I think I got both of these at the "little free library".... I enjoyed them.  YA books often make more sense to me than others....

I read a bunch of my re-read of the biography on Metropolitan Anthony Bloom.

 

I read out loud the story of his unexpected sudden conversion to Christ to my Husband over dinner.  It was fun reading. 

I can't do the fast as strictly.  But it's still here. 

1.5 more weeks and I hope to not use my walking boot anymore.  I hope the brace won't be too bad.

One thing at a time! May God have mercy on us!

Snow ❄️ and many pots tea 🫖

Well, I finally got a little bit of research done again on my writing project.  

I did my best to finish Lee Smith's novel the last girls but I found the book basically fell apart.  It was like there was no real closure.  Of course this was a bestseller. Apparently I just don't fit any mold for reading or writing.  I like this author. I heard her speak years ago.  

I guess I'm getting a lot of this right now. Reading the books and then finding that I can't find a place to fit in them.  

I'm not sure what that means and it's ironic what books I am liking.  I guess there isn't one easy answer is there? 

Well I'm another day closer to not having a walking boot! I'm looking forward to that I must say.  

Tomorrow is going to be another beautiful day at home.  It's a constant effort for me to be thankful.  It's so easy to slide to slip into something and into a space that you don't want to be in. 

Well one thing at a time. There is so much to be thankful for. May God have mercy on us!

this morning ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

I think we got some snow 🤔🤣❄️☃️🥰🕯️♥️

It's still coming down!  We are warm, have power 🙏 I had forgotten about a tea from Holland called "Autumn Tea" that's especially warming 🫖🥰☕

Well, Clean Monday (first day of Great Lent) finds me in the kitchen cleaning (dishes ect). 

May God have mercy on us! 

storm inches forward and Great Lent is about to begin

it has begun. Pictures from an hour or so ago.  I already read of some power outages.  Hopefully we will keep power! But if not, we have a gas stove top (so hot tea, soup, etc), candles and lots of blankets.   

We did some laundry, dishes not fully done but OK.

I finished Sayers A Cloud of Witnesses.  Enjoyed it.  Not the strongest ending but much just before the ending was quite good.

Dinner tonight 

Simple salad mix.

(my ice cream)

(Husband's ice cream; I realized I should just give him the container as our goal was to finish it tonight!)

And so we come to the very Eve of Great Lent 2026. 

I am so thankful that I am so much better than before.  My cough is pretty much gone.  I have to be patient about the ankle healing.  There is so much to thank the Lord for!

May God have mercy on us!

Ahead of the storm ❄️☃️🥰

I'm dreaming of taking a picture once the storm is in force to show the difference...

The snow has started. It's very wet right now and not sticking yet to the ground. 

It was so good to be at liturgy, forgiveness vespers and coffee hour! I had Belini with Nutella, banana and strawberries. Very delicious! This is something that is normal for just before Lent! Belini is a pancake And delicious made with milk and eggs.  It was a way for all of that to be used up before Lent begins! 

Hopefully there's a service on Tuesday. Even more. Hopefully I hope I can go! It will depend on the state of the roads and how well things are plowed. Obviously I have to be careful with my walking boot still in place etc. 

I sharpened/change the filters on this to try to show you the snow that's dancing outside the window right now! And it makes the silver and the lines of the lamp by the feet more noticeable. It's like bringing out the beauty that's already there. 

My friend very rightly said next time take a cab. You were too tired. You should not have walked home. She was very right. 4 weeks later with ankle boot!   My husband's decided that if there's snow on the ground, I shouldn't go outside. I think they're a little worried about me. Don't know why 😳🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Well, I'm going to continue working on my Thanksgiving list!  One of them is that I have milk. I had a lovely cup of hot chocolate! It's super fun that lactose-free milk is sweet so I can just use cocoa and not have extra sugar.  I specifically did not take anything but the Belini with some Nutella so that I could have a little more of a treat later today! 

I had had three or four cups of tea at coffee hour and it was just lovely. Having tea is a glorious, comforting warm thing.  It always feels like such a privilege.   

I'm already dreaming of Christmas presents for next year 🎁🤣 That's how I am! Particularly when I spot a book that would be perfect for a certain person. 

Well I'm all cozy wrapped up in a duvet and now is time for rest. 

May God have mercy on us.