4th & 5th day of Christmas

The above pictures were from day 4.

It was a day of various phone calls and rest...

it's a blessing that we have such nice food to eat

via our grocery delivery service; 

I just love the chicken and mashed potatoes! 

I had a 60% cocao one square sized treat from our

tower of sweets from Mr Husband's parents,

and it was so very enjoyable,

the best chocolate I've had this week I think.

We watched a Walton's episode again and

did prayers together, ... lots of rest and trying to recover.

On to day 5...

Day 5 was another good, quiet day.

I felt good when I awoke, the sun was shining brightly and it was only 8:30 

in the morning (I had been sleeping in till close to 10! the flu will do that!)

I felt so much better, I had hopes of doing a bit more that day.

I was able to do two things extra:

I lit all the livingroom lampadas and I collapsed many boxes that I no

longer had need of. 

I also ended up taking a nap in the afternoon, I was suddenly so tired

and I was actually more congested towards evening again.

We had enjoyable meals, I had I think 6 different types of tea!

(Green, black with chili and mango, African Autumn, Ginger Lemon and Gypsy Cold Care).

It was a real drink-all-the-teas day.

Actually between gifts I have been given, teas I have bought and teas I have

made mixes of, I do have a pretty large collection of teas.

It's fun and I love having so many choices also to offer others!

I also got a new teapot lid holder/drip catcher via amazon; so far so good!

We also watched another episode of the Walton's and I made extra popcorn

so I could have some tomorrow without the fuss of making it again.

We are enjoying the very last of the pate also.

I was able to a potluck spreadsheet for help

for my belated 40th birthday party 

and that is giving me something to look forward to

as we recover.

Mr Husband is seeing the doctor on Friday,

please pray for this.

He has a long way to go yet, longer than myself I fear.

I admit I was getting a bit stir crazy earlier today,

it's been over a week since I got sick,

I am gaining but slowly and I am not well enough really to leave the house

(esp as it was so cold) and it gets a bit 'cabin fever' but not too bad.

I find that taking pictures of my day and varying things

like what treat I get that day, what teas I want to have, what I am reading,

they bring a difference into the convalescence house-bound time.

My quilting-friend DV is coming Friday to keep me company

and help me with somethings 

while Mr Husband has his appointment.

So I am looking forward to this as well.

I am finding that if I focus my mind on thanksgiving for the 

many, many blessings I have, 

then I see how good it is right now

and what a blessing it is to be with my Husband

and how wonderful a piece of chocolate or a cup of tea is.

Well, time to rest again now.

I am thankful for day 4 and 5 of the 12 days of Christmas!

(Our Time on PEI} ~ the yellow parlour

I see that I did not even photograph 

properly the beautiful white chairs...

This was my favourite room; 

I loved the yellow.

I wish I could easily sum up what staying at

this Bed and Breakfast was like.

*

I often feel that some are just not appreciating 

what they are seeing or are in.

The effort to maintain such a property,

the attention to detail and seeking to keep it in period,

the lovely breakfasts,

the floors with old thick pine planks,

the wonderful in period furniture,

the beauty of it.

*

I think I wished for quietness there;

the one quandary of a bed and breakfast is the people.

I just at times love being by myself in such beauty

or equally with Mr. Husband who is inside of my 

interior life or rather does not impinge on it,

is part of it.

His company on our time in such beauty

is a warm welcoming and quiet joy,

a sweet companionship.

*

Of course we are, Mr. Husband and I,

are far from perfect and at times 

the sweetest thing we can say indeed is

forgive me a sinner

yet I can still write that I have been given

a husband who I am happy to be with

and miss when I am without.

Our Friday ~ Rest, Rain, Storm and Pie

By late afternoon/early evening 

it did more than rain, it stormed! 

I am reading more of Kathleen Norris' Dakota...

I can see how this was one of her earlier books...

she is learning a lot and putting it into words...

you can see the seeds of both

the cloister walk and amazing grace: a vocabulary of faith...

I put together some IKEA boxes...

Mr. Husband came home the other day with this

sweet wild flower bouquet :)

I made pie.

Trying to replicate what I did here.

But I did not have the whipping cream, the third

cream cheese or as many strawberries, so

it's a different pie.

I used half and half and sour cream, two things of

cream cheese... I like the other one better,

but this is still good, if a bit too sweet....

I hope to do it again after the fast;

It was good to make something though and 

this pie is the first thing I made in our new home!

*

I am still doing lots of resting;

in someways I feel like I am in a slump, 

all this resting and not getting as much done...

but I know if I don't rest, 

then nothing will get done or I will get sick

(the mono last year was enough for me, thanks)

or I will just stay tired.

So rest it is. Reading. Simple things.

*

Clean laundry is piling up. Mr. Husband is helping with dishes.

I really need to research dishwashers.

We are having the last fast-free week food...

dominos and their chicken too;

we call it mordor meat ;)

Well, at least it tastes good...

*

Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend!

Early Morning

 

Picture of old icon from my Ottawa-home Parish's church hall.
*
I woke up early this Saturday morning.
Mr. Husband and I have a lot to do today.
*
I am so glad I have cooking and baking to keep me busy.
I can't tell you what a blessing it was to be in Ottawa.
I really miss my home Parish.
My new church home with Mr. Husband is wonderful
but it cannot replace the home of my heart;
I do not and cannot write much about either Parish;
just like I do not have pictures of people
on my blog.
It's one of my few guidelines for this blog.
*
But I can say I miss it and it's ethos
and the Ukrainian, Bulgarian, many types of converts
and other ethnic groups that make up
my Ottawa-home Parish.
*
I find the simple spiritual principle to be true:
find people to care for and love
even if by great distance.
*
My new church is a long ways away
and I think and care about many of them
throughout the week
and this helps.
*
I miss my old friends though;
how we would talk theology and about
father's sermons or
about some other idea...
I miss praying with my dear Romanian friend
or my sister-friend.
*
I stayed at my sister-friend's place
watching my beautiful godson and his lovely
thin but plentiful hair
going many directions and one of my favourite
moments was when I read the Psalms
in the thirties
while my sister-friend washed dishes;
somehow standing there in that kitchen
reading from my little Psalter
was like standing in my Ottawa-home Parish
singing
God is with us.

Lemon Cake

So I made my first
lemon cake.
I was thinking of Anna as I baked it!
Thanks for your wonderful blog Anna!
*
I am determined to make it again...
*
It called for
lemon juice and lemon zest.
I used my zester for the first time;
I had always wanted one and
got one this summer as a wedding gift.


I made one mistake
and one only.
I doubled the recipe
and did not double the lemons.
Take note, self
and do 4 lemons next time!

That said,
it still turned out well.
*
I used a Greek yogurt
so it was a heavier cake.

6 eggs.
Yay Feast time!

Lemon Zest.

Mr. Husband was impressed
by how well they
turned out of
the pan.
*
Notice my cake pans
a very significant wedding gift
from a friend that reads this blog
(hi friend!)

 

Beautiful glorious
lemon cake.
With lots of glaze!
*
A friend said they reminded her of
Spanish cakes that she ate years ago.
*
Now if only I had more friends
in the area to share the cake with...
*
To Ottawa I go soon
Lord willing.
Am excited to see my friends there
though being without Mr. Husband will be
hard;
I plan on many emails/calls while we are apart...
*
When I get back I hope to not be sick again
(flying does a number on me often)
and my next goal will be to start swimming again...

Prayer and Sugar Cookies

I finally was able to get
this sun catcher
put on my kitchen window.
It had not come with a suction cup
so I had to wait and
finally I have one!

Been lighting candles for various people in
need who are on my heart...

Yesterday I finally was able to make
sugar cookies!
I had promised them to a friend
about 1.5-2 months ago
but kept getting sick
with colds.
*
I am not fully better yet
but was strong enough yesterday to make
the cookies.

Such a simple recipe!
I did this variation:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup flour

I got the above cookbook
at the Mother of All Garage Sales
as Mr. Husband calls them
back in October.
*
When I saw the name
F.M. Farmer
I realized that this was most possibly
an older edition of the
Fannie Farmer Cookbook
and I was right!
*
It was published in 1945
and was my most expensive purchase
at the Garage Sale
at 18.00 for the book.
Which Mr. Husband later noted
is about the going rate for this 
vintage book.
(The garage sale we went to is also a charity
so we did not feel a loss of a good deal
because of this, for those of
thrift-garage sale minds! :))
*
I like many others
love the older cookbooks
for their more durable recipes
the simplicity
and practicality.

It was so nice to use my baking
tools again.

When I saw that this recipe says it makes
50-60 cookies
I was surprised
but realized that this meant very little cookie
dough was used per cookie.
So I carefully spooned out the dough
and it did make about that much!

The cookies are small and light.

The last batch baked quicker
due to the oven being on for a while
so I will have to remember to watch that
cooking time of 8 minutes
and perhaps do 7 minutes for the last
batch. 

Mr. Husband and I have been enjoying these
cookies during our Christmas Feast week!

And I finally have them to give to
our friend!
*
Now I am hoping to bake
the lemon yogurt cake that
Anna blogged about
a while back...
*
Meanwhile,
I am late for making what I thought would be for
lunch today
as Mr. Husband is working from home
today
(these are some of my happiest days when
he is here for breakfast
and we can visit before he retreats to the office
for work)...
I was going to make a roast chicken last night
like I made for our first
Canadian Thanksgiving as a married couple
but I realized I did not have the herbs to do so.
*
Thankfully when I went to the store last night
it was not as busy as sometimes
(about 5 pm at the store can be a mad-house,
with long lines and crowded aisles)
and I also got the needed
ingredients for the cake...
*
I am still recovering from the cold
but am hopeful that by next week
it will be much better/gone.
*
God willing I will be in Ottawa
by this time next week.
Without Mr. Husband who sadly
can't come because of his work.
I will miss him.
But it will be good to see everyone that I spent 7
years of my life with
and a city that I love so much.
*
Meanwhile,
I best get going on that chicken...