Tuesday ~ Wet and Wiley

Let's start today's report from the end,

this old crock pot / slow cooker,

the smell of onions cooking slowly, with garlic, ginger,

chicken and chicken bones with liters of filtered water...

so simple, such a delicious smell.

It will be done by 5 PM tomorrow...

I hope to get 2 soups out of it and am so so glad for this! 

***

The rest of today...

I struggled.  

The weight of 5 weeks, of continued concern and care for 

my beloved, a pile that seemed unending of things to do,

and feeling inwardly barren, to say the least.

***

I lit a thick blessed candle and that steadied me more than anything.

But it was a struggle.

***

Made beef broth for lunch, with triscuits, chicken liver pate, cheese,

salad, clementines.

Made hamburgers with multi-grain English muffins for dinner,

with salad... black tea, mint-rose tea, decaf black tea, more mint-rose tea...

Lots of dishes washed, dried, put away, and then all over again;

NYC was wonderful yesterday and that sunshine!

But we left after lunch and those dishes were waiting for me yet 

this morning... I find disorder to make myself feel as disordered,

of course I know this is a real weakness, 

but there it is...

***

Social media was my main communication with the outside world today,

of which I was very grateful.

***

I am hoping to make a lemon pie this coming weekend, 

after I made the soups.

I am hoping to do a small grocery run tomorrow.

I ordered my first tart pan, with a removable bottom, today,

for this lemon pie I have long wanted to make...

Snow is expected Thursday, potentially a lot.

Mr Husband was to have end of week doctor's appointments, 

so not sure how that will play out.

10 inches of snow may derail it, if this snow does come.

Thank God we have plenty of everything we need.

I have the roast chicken, still frozen, up here in my kitchen fridge's freezer,

from my birthday party that so many could not come to,

but that we had ordered catered chicken and pork for, (organic, etc etc).

So that's great.  Plus bread to warm in the oven, so much tea to enjoy,

and all else... I am reading my new book and am enjoying it.

So much to digest about this part of culinary culture and the past.

***

The beautiful tulips and the eucalyptus in vases are both such 

pools of brightness for me.

***

The opportunity to get out tomorrow, and a good end of today,

make me feel anticipation for such things

and the fact that my kitchen counter is clean,

the slow cooker is doing a soup,

and that I have hope to get out tomorrow,

are all great blessings to me.

***

As are all of my kind friends here, who read these words... 

We keep going...

My Husband had an unexpected breathing related issue last night,

solved by his asthma meds, but another thing that was 'new'...

He's getting a bit discouraged and anxious about this.

I am not always sure how to encourage him, 

some times I feel like I can't get outside of the worry

myself... but that's why phone calls to Mother can be a good thing.
She reminded me today of my birth verse:
 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: 
because he trusteth in thee.
***
So that's really wonderful and indeed we are trying to keep
our focus where it needs to be,
on Christ...
***
Meanwhile, in other ways,
 I am doing what I can...

I listen to prayerful music, light candles, 

lampadas, plan for more blessed candles 

(to be lit in times of poor health, distress or trouble)...
I made more bath salts, one with Eucalyptus and one with Lavender... 

I am making my Husband more Chicken Soup Broth and we get

some various bone broths this coming Monday that we ordered...
***
I got some chocolate extract and am hoping to use it in
a future chocolate tea recipe!
As well as other things!!! 

***
I still have my Christmas tree up and took these pictures last night!
We've had more enjoyable meals together.
***
Cleo the Cat, you can see, wanted my attention
as I was trying to take a picture of the table :)
She's so funny...
***
Today includes cleaning, laundry, pie baking and recipe planning...
I am so grateful that I am able to do all of these things!