(141) Today is St Basil's Day

While I was not able to go to our far-away church for 

liturgy today on St Basil's day, 

I did go to the (new calendar) for St Basil's day on January 1st

and I am so glad I was able to go then! 

***

Today was a quiet day at home.

I got a lot of laundry done,

again scaling "Mount Laundry" that had 

been growing since before our Christmas on January 7th... 

(we already having been in a hotel 2 nights by the

morning of January 7th!).

I still have to put away the things in my suitcase;

it's just been such a busy time. 

***

We opened two gifts of books tonight

and now are enjoying a quiet evening and I hope an early bedtime.

***

I am really tired but I got a lot done,

I am still hoping for a rest day soon,

where I don't have tons of cleaning or other tasks to do.

I know I need the rest... 

***

May God help us and provide for us what we need

and may we know His mercy!

***

PS: I am loving this song 

8th Day of Christmas... St Basil's Day...Church Christmas Party...

Today was very full. St Basil's day! I went outside church and when I returned our little church was full of the scent of St Basil's bread, very fragrant and beautiful.

We had our Church Christmas Party.

It was very nice.... tons of people,

I was pretty tired afterwards,

I think my introvert side is plan fatigued!

***

I am having friend over on Thursday DV

who is going to help me make a skirt.

She is moving to Russia soon so I really

want to make a nice lunch for us.

But it's also the eve of Theophany,

which is a fast day.

So vegan it is.

Any suggestions on what I should serve?

I need simple and easy!

***

Tomorrow is MLK day so my Husband is home

and I am looking forward to a quiet day of 

enjoying our Christmas lunch leftovers and resting.

Of course my Husband is going to do paperwork tomorrow,

but myself, I hope to do some good quiet resting! 

***

Thanks for your comments on my Christmas lunch post!

I did have such a very nice time and it was a joy to do!

I am grateful that we are healthy right now.

We are praying that we can make it to April

this year without getting sick with flu, etc.

***

May God bless and help us all,

no matter our life's difficulties.

***

God is with us!

***

PS: since you may want to know, it is the Greek Nuns 

who made the St Basil's Bread... 

8th day of Christmas

I was telling my Mom today

how much I was enjoying picking out 

a different tea to have 

and that I had one cup (being careful about sugar still)

of Peppermint Hot Chocolate (with milk!)

and a bit more of the chocolate covered gingerbread man...

She was glad to hear how I could have things

that are giving me joy,

in the midst of everything else.

And this morning I must add, I had Thé à La Rose,

with milk mainly.

Was lovely.

***

Today was very quiet.

Lots and lots of resting.

Emailing.  Party Planning. 

We hope to have a small dinner tomorrow,

and are keeping it very simple.

On the 8th day of Christmas...

 St. Basil's day!

I had some of my favourite take out food!

Mr. Husband worked late out of necessity but it gave me

a peaceful day with reading and Christmas dinner party preparation for Friday... 

I read all of The Velvet Room, it was so lovely.

About a 12 year old girl who struggles with the difficulties of her 

family's life (noise, crowd, poverty, illness), is a voracious reader,

musical, has a ill but kind, wise father who loves history, music, books...

and she finds this beautiful room in an abandoned mansion 

and it is so lovely... 

set in 1937 in California, a real joy to read.

And I understand why I loved it so much in grade 7, reading it again

and again at my school library.

I was just like Robin, though not musical like she is,

but I was always wondering off, even going into the apple orchard next to our

school to get away from it all... 

We enjoyed some good St Basil's bread (Vasilopita) and tea at night.

The coin has not yet been found, but the bread is a large loaf

and there were only two of us home to share it! 

The Young Unicorns is one of my favourite of all of 

Madeleine L'Engle's books.

I am so happy to have this one now, a 1st edition 7th printing, 

almost 10 years after the first printing...

*

And Mr Husband got another history book!

He is very selective about what history books he wishes to own

and I am delighted that he has a few new ones this year! 

Some special hard cider that Mr Husband worked so hard to find,

and another neat book for Mr. Husband! 

This page was esp. cool -

literary figures in miniature! 

And so we had another wonderful day of Christmas.

8th day of Christmas... (a beautiful dinner, a farewell and prayer requests)

On the 8th day of Christmas 

I baked and baked...

Did a roast chicken this way:

butter under skin with garlic cloves,

one small onion in quarters, fresh organic sage and half a zested lemon in the cavity,

French Lemon & Ginger infused extra virgin olive oil over the skin,

with salt, pepper, dried ginger and lemon on top...

450F for about 2 hours... I think next time I will take the chicken out a bit 

before 2 hours.... it was great though and I trussed the chicken 

for the first time (did not want the cavity onion and lemon falling out!)

I made two casseroles 

from a cookbook I got before Christmas:

Bake Until Bubbly

 Potatoes with goat cheese a gratin 

and carrot casserole (with onion, cheddar cheese and bread crumbs).

From the same cookbook I baked for dessert,

stuffed peaces with raspberry sauce.

I only had half the amount of canned halved peaches...

I made the full amount of the mascarpone cheese sauce...

next time I will half the half cup of sugar...

Of course it was super fun to use my Christmas dishes.

Peaches baked and then mascarpone cheese with sugar

and raspberry syrup on the bottom (under the peaches

as they baked at 375 F for 20 minutes) and slivered almonds on top

of the cheese...

*

And so I made what was the farewell dinner for 

my friend, the Mother of our Goddaughter, and our

Goddaughter as they leave for TX at the end of the week.

She is 4 months old now and very healthy, with a cute smile.

She wore a cute Christmas reindeer outfit for the occasion! 

It was a lovely dinner and I thank God for this time.

*

So as I mentioned earlier it's hard to see them go.

I am pretty sure the grief part of this (they were one of the two

main first couples in our book club, some of our first

new friends as a couple here) is why I am not sleeping well.

*

Also a family friend who is prominent in my families life

is in hospital with pneumonia and possible other complications

and a family member is waiting for a biopsy at the end of January

(it was postponed).

*

And my friend's son is still in hospital with unexpected complications...

 *

So that's a few difficult things.

I ask your prayers

and I thank God for them!