2nd &y 3rd day of Christmas

On the 2nd day of Christmas,

we had one chocolate treat each, opened gifts

and decided that we would have special reading times for

part of the 12 days of Christmas this year,

where we would just take time to companionably read together. 

I began reading the first story from 

Elizabeth Goudge's 

Icon on the Wall and it was wonderful.

She knew a surprising amount about Orthodoxy and

it's a lovely short story (the first one in the book).

The second part of the 3rd day of Christmas was hard 

but had blessings too, in small things.

I thought that Mr Husband sounded much too congested when he coughs,

so over breakfast we were companionably having,

I called the nurse. Then he talked to a doctor and had an appointment made

for that day.  So Mr Husband ended up in NYC for much of the day,

and is now on more meds and will find out more on Friday.

So that was all quite worrying.

The lovely parts of today were getting the silver plated silverware I ordered

a week ago, the picture has additional silver-plate flatware that we had from a rummage sale previously...I ordered the additional silverware before we got the flu, 

for what I hope will be my belated

birthday party.... in just under 2 weeks time... we will see about that...

other lovely parts were loving a new to me tea - Trader Joes chocolate mint 

flavoured tea; it was lovely...

and I had my favourite beef sandwhich from a local bistro delivered,

which I savoured over lunch and dinner...   

I also enjoyed 2 small Trader Joes hot chocolate cookies,

had decaf Christmas Chai and enjoyed using the Christmas Tree Spode China,

now that I have enough energy to hand-wash dishes again.... and tonight 

Mr Husband and I watched part of a Walton's episode! 

And tonight I finished

Elizabeth Goudge's short story 

The Ikon on the wall

such a good story and encouraging to me personally...

and I also was remembering these prayers,

which when I am all a flutter are about all I can focus on,

and these prayers brought this day to a peaceful close:

"“My dear,” he said, “love, your God, is a trinity. There are three necessary prayers and they have three words each. They are these, 

'Lord have mercy. 

Thee I adore. 

Into Thy hands.' 

Not difficult to remember. If in times of distress you hold to these you will do well.""

 ~From Elizabeth Goudge's the Scent of Water