And towards Friday...

Another full day.

Mr Husband worked from home.

I made lunch and dinner.

Thank God we had chicken soup in the freezer.

We had enough for 2 meals and enjoyed cheese and

crackers as well + delicious salads.

Had a phone meeting.

Did some cards.

Washed dishes. Listened a bit more to the 

lovely story, the Christmas Hirelings. 

I am really hoping still that I don't come down with the cold

that my Husband has, it's wretched. 

I struggled with things a bit but had tea that warmed me.

I am weary, I must admit.

The wrapped in towel tea was my Husband's ginger tea.

I don't have tea cozies yet for my Bodum (French) presses... 

I did get out for a walk today, that was good;

I had not been out since Sunday.

I really hope to make it to vespers tomorrow

and the blessing of candles. 

I am hoping to go to NYC next week.

It all hinges on me not coming down with a cold or getting sick... 

Tomorrow I hope to make elderberry syrup, 

perhaps the lemon jam

and getting our grocery order... 

I can see so much that I need to resume my Thanksgiving

Journal... I can see how I am failing on the

thanksgiving/thought department

I know that I need God's mercy and help

and I am so very glad that His 

mercy is new every morning

and endures forever.

the Lord's mercy in a windy stormy snow day

Today was a bit of a challenge for me.

I just felt like I could not keep up, was feeling 

a bit fatigued and on that treadmill of duties that never seems to end.

***

I did watch this short film and the service that this woman shows... well...

puts me to shame but also inspires me to wish to be more self-less,

even if it's a huge struggle...

The Housekeeper (short documentary) from Tali  Yankelevich on Vimeo.

***

I was able to read Tolkien tonight, we are in the midst of a very large letter

summarizing his work before the Lord of the Rings was published. 

I had tea and got to read more Miss Read.

***

Laundry is drying, dishes are being washed in dishwasher,

lots of laundry was folded today

while I listened to The Christmas Hirelings,

that Mat Emily mentioned and that I am just loving! 

***

My Husband was OK with me buying a second beef roast,

I am so excited... our party and food was very loved and I just wanted more

beef roast like my Mom's and so it is coming Friday, I hope to make it either

Saturday or Sunday.

***

Today was snow squalls for a short time and tomorrow is going to be bitterly cold

and Mr Husband is going to work from home again.

***

I am praying that I don't get sick... 

***

Praying for so many who are in the midst of great struggles

including health... every day I hear of new struggles of others... 

May God help us all and have mercy! 

Floating away with Mexican hot chocolate... and other adventures

The Dome-Singer of Falenda by Katherine Bolger Hyde

I am very sorry to say that this book is out of print

and I can't find it anywhere online.

If you know where I can get a copy, do let me know.

I gave mine away, not knowing that by the time I went to re-order it,

it would be out of print! 

It's lovely.

I ordered her 2 mysteries meanwhile... 

I am so glad I was able to get these goblets,

they work perfectly in the dishwasher.

Loved this description of food in Miss Read's Christmas at Thrush Green 

Made cards for dear ones who lost Mother, Grandmother, recently... 

 Cleo, of course, is loving her box.

Mr Husband suggested that we close it up and mail it.

He is kidding of course. :)

I had tea and two chocolates as a treat. 

Lovely.  

My sweet Husband is on the mend, I am so so VERY happy to say.

To celebrate I had a quarter of a tablet of Mexican hot chocolate and a ginger-spiced 

Christmas cookie, quite lovely together! 

I feel like I am floating away on it, as I treated myself to a very big cup of it! 

I can't handle hot chocolate at the level that companies say to have it at,

much to rich for me.  I found this 2+ cups of milk with 1/4th of one tablet to be perfect.

The heat from it (some sort of cinnamon/pepper flavour) is still on my tongue...

it really is filling and warming.  

I really liked it. And it was perfect for my over-sized mug that I got at our 

MI family Christmas! 

Since the hot chocolate has 6 tablets and 1/4th was perfect for a huge amount of it,

I have at least 24 servings out of this lovely warming Mexican hot chocolate! 

***

Well, my beloved is on his way home now and we are going to enjoy dinner and a Walton's episode,

talk about our day and do family prayers DV tonight.

He's home tomorrow so that will be really nice too! 

It's been a good day, I ordered books and 

actually read Miss Read again, so nice...

BTW, this book is WONDERFUL, way underrated and I would call it

'a journal of profound comfort and encouragement' and it is on closeout 

for $3.00 a book.  I am not joking when I confess to buying 15 copies.

YES. That many.  I bought that many 5 years ago when it was at the same price

and I only had ONE of the 15 left to give away.  I wish I had 100 copies and

I would give them all away within in time to those who I see who 

could use it for either the stress they are in, or exhaustion or just in need

of some extra-loving....

Everyone I give it to finds it a real comfort and encouragement. 

So if you are in need of such, buy a copy!

If I was a much richer woman, I would want this republished something like

a journal of profound comfort and encouragement.

Seriously.

And I know books.... 

***

May God bless us all in whatever we are facing!

About today...

{I did not realize that the chocolates I was given were French,

google translated this as:

"Always become the one you are, be the master and the sculptor of yourself."

Not sure what I think of this message but I enjoyed 

looking at the French words and remembering ones that I had learned

when I lived in Ottawa... 

I rested a lot today, after so much work this past few days! 

I was going to have Mexican hot chocolate today but I ran out of time,

as this one is made on the stove... 

My plan is to take about a quarter of one tablet and make it with about 2 cups milk...

I can't do the amount of hot chocolate normally suggested,, 

too rich for me and I like it it a bit less intense, but still with the 

great chocolate flavour and experience... :) 

I got my 2019 order of beeswax candles,

these have to be one of the biggest blessings I get every year, these candles,

as I light them in prayer when I am home (which is always unless traveling)

and I also get some blessed ... (DV this Friday locally and hopefully in 2 weeks 

at our far-away church!)... 

The last picture, FYI, is from here and my friend via social media 

gave me the word 'lebkuchen' and I googled that word + chocolate and discovered

the gingerbread chocolate covered cookies that we were given a few years ago,

that I just LOVED...

I am so looking for these, DV, next year :) 

Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy the many treats we have been given this year!

I emailed a friend that I am 'drenched in chocolate' this year,

so spoiled... :) 

I enjoy having treat times but with balance...

tonight I read, finally, a bit more of Christmas at Thrush Green while enjoying some

tea and Chex Mix... 

I thank God for today....

Our Last Christmas Dinner for 2019 went really well, Thank God!

God really answered our prayers for a good Christmas dinner for

local friends from our nearby church. 

The night before I confess I had a rough night's sleep.

I've been struggling with anxiety related to my sweetheart as I mentioned 

on Friday.... I am still concerned....

Meanwhile, about yesterday...

we went to church... 

liturgy was lovely, strengthening, encouraging personally to me,

and afterwards there was a BEAUTIFUL prayer for a couple who

had been married 50 years ago in that church and attended all the years of their

married life and stood in the same place that they were married 

for a prayer of blessing and praise for their long marriage. 

Here's one of the pictures:

What a beautiful prayer and what a JOY this was!!! 

Lunch after was also lovely... 

I was given the nicest Christmas gift too - 

this mug and spoon, so perfectly picked out for me

and more amazing chocolate! 

Yep, I have so much chocolate to enjoy in the coming months, God willing! 

Thomas Sweet Chocolates also makes ice cream that Mr Husband and I have

enjoyed various times near to our far-away church (they have more than one store).

So that's lovely ... and I happen to love Dove Chocolate! So it's a lovely thoughtful gift!

***

So, the dinner as I was writing about above, went really well.

The cake turned out well though the mirror glaze took a while as the recipe I used in the end

was extremely thin liquid that kept going down the cake without really 'sticking to it' as it were

until it cooled, so a bit to learn there! But it turned out lovely and cutting it one half side for 

cake pieces worked great and the royal icing was the perfect frosting 'glue' to keep the 2 sides

fully stuck together without any incident! 

I made the beef roast according to my Mom's instructions and that turned out well.

I was surprised how much it 'shrunk' but also grew in height 

(it seemed longer and a bit thinner than it was after the 4 hour bake).

One of my dear guests had to cancel last minute but that's how that goes....

these things happen and are understandable... 

She and I will catch up later DV!

***

The sides of green beans, cauliflower, mashed potatoes went well.

The rolls were enjoyed with butter,

the salad was great, 

applesauce and cranberry sauce also enjoyed! 

It was fun to have the Christmas crackers opened and crowns on...

I loved seeing people enjoying the dove chocolates I had out,

the cake, the Chex Mix and the Cheese and Crackers! 

Everyone had a really good time and I was so very glad about that. 

***

 And that was the last Christmas dinner of this year, that I know of... 

liturgically Christmas is 40 days, until the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

in the Temple which (new calendar) is this Saturday, (old calendar) is February 15th... 

***

Well, that was yesterday and the last Christmas Dinner of 2019!