Showing posts with label many good things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label many good things. Show all posts

Monday, September 15, 2014

About today...

It was Friday night;
we were finally at the weekend after
another busy week, when Mr. Husband
talked to our downstairs neighbours,
who had mentioned concerns of mice
once the weather turned cool.
Well, they have since seen mice in their place.
So we suddenly knew I had to step up
the work on the pantry.
Those flours not yet in glass jars, 
those stash of chocolate bars from Ottawa,
my cocoa (baking and drinking) in cardboard,
best to put in glass.
The teas too; the pasta, the nuts, Cleo's food...
the list grew quickly.


Mr. Husband went shopping and bought 18 half gallon jars;
picture above shows them ready to be cleaned... 
I ordered more supplies from Target; funny enough,
Mr. Husband had mentioned getting the vintage coloured glass 
jars for teas when I was in Ottawa; coloured as it will
help the tea last longer because of light, etc.
And so some vintage glass mason jars are 
on their way, along with some clear glass canisters.


I had already put my GF Arrow Root flour/starch in jars
last week.  We are on the hunt also for pickle jars,
big ones, to wash/sterilize and use.


I am currently running a huge batch of quart mason
jars in the dishwasher to sterilize them
and use for my smaller amounts of things;
GF brownie mix; corn meal; baking powder; 
I did some research ~ this one talked about how to do a pantry and
And this one makes me think I want to store our 
Cheerios just like this.


On other notes,
many have been wondering about my driving lesson.
Thank you.
So for the first hour I was taken to very urban streets
with up to four lanes, lots of turns, esp. left hand turns,
lots of driving in small NJ cities that I had not once been in 
before that.
I was borderline miserable and felt 
the hour was just dragging by.
I was nervous and had a lot to get used to again, as
it's been 10 years and things like how mirrors work,
changing lanes in busy traffic, turning in big intersections,
and the like.
But THEN: I was behind a school bus. I saw kids.
Thought of how kids calm me down and I love them.
And then I had remembered the happy happy news:
Mr. Husband and I were asked to be godparents 
of a lovely less than 1 month old, baptism next Month!
A girl, our first god daughter, our first godchild we 
have been given together.
And then I was calm, happy and hour two,
which lead us to locales that I knew well and the small town
we used to live in before we moved,
was lovely and went well.


So Mr. Husband noticed this stain glass.
The ten commandments being outweighed 
by the nails of Christ on the Cross.
A beautiful image.
We must remember the hope we have in Christ...
*
So yesterday was Sunday School...lesson two... 
I wrote about how it went here...
One thing I did not mention there was that
when I got to the church basement
(more on that later) the cooler weather was immediately apparent:
mice visited again. 
I spent all of the hours (the prayers before liturgy) and a bit of the beginning of
liturgy (you can hear it all from downstairs) wiping down the tables
and chairs with Lysol wipes, until I was sure everything was clean.
*
Part of life is just dealing with what is at hand and 
very much with reality.
Our church is working on the building as best they can 
and they have made huge strides in the last years.
*
I mention this in part to be sure that it is understood that
while blogs are pretty and children marvelous,
we often have to do things in less than ideal places.
But this is life. 
And I am so glad to be teaching the kids where we are
instead of waiting for some mythical 'perfect' place to teach, etc...
*
Meanwhile... 
Talk about an added motivation for getting our home pantry ready
in case mice visit us.
Lord have mercy.
Mr. Husband's already bought mice traps; we are certainly not using
poison as the risk of secondary poison on my Cleo Cat is quite real.
I will be so glad when the order from target arrives later this week... 

Saturday, January 04, 2014

Pre-Christmas Celebrations


Mr. Husband bought me a very nice tea
for my birthday at Martha's church,
from St. Elizabeth's Skete in upstate NY.
It has raspberry leaves, lemongrass and mint.
Also a Christmas CD that is calm, soothing 
songs of Christmas from the Orthodox tradition;
it almost seems like folk singing but purer.


Mr. Husband's Mom shared with us a tin of cookies
that we are keeping for Christmas time.

It was also Mr. Husband's name's day
and so I set up a small tea on the couch for us
on New Year's Eve,
the day after his Name's Day.


I wrapped up two of the books I got for him.*


This was also the extent of our New Year's celebrations.
We ate one piece of chocolate each,
leaving two bars wrapped 
(I wanted Mr. Husband to have his choice of lenten chocolates
and so got out three choices).
We did our prayers for evening time and were sleeping
 by the time the new year rang in.
*
We both relished in being 'boring' and attending to the fact
that we were still tired from our trip.
*
I am so glad for all of this.


(*the one bag that Mr. Husband's book was in is actually a deep bright pink as it was from
the wedding we went to in mid-August and we were a friend of the Bride;
I foresee us using this bag for a long time to come to quickly put a present in for the other,
regardless of colour and gender :))


Thursday, December 06, 2012

New Calendar St. Nicholas Day - with a kind window's tale


So.
I went to New York City
again today.
And...
it was a really good day.
Thankfully I did not have to go
 walking about the city much.
That did help.
*
The goal
other than to have a quick lunch with
the gallant Mr. Husband,
was to find something nice
pretty and modest
for my first Christmas party
with Mr. Husband for his work.
*
So I went into a store that was recommend to me
and found the 4th floor dresses.
The first and second floor I was greeted by sales staff
but by the 4th it seemed no one was there.
It took a bit of time
but I finally found what I deemed some good options.
But not before I felt a bit utterly forlorn,
tired, hot and a bit frustrated.
But then I remembered that it was
new calendar
St. Nicholas Day
so I asked for help.
Admitted that I needed a nice outfit for
Mr. Husband's Christmas party
and that though it was not a
dire request at any rate
whatsoever
I could really use the help.
I was missing friends and family who often
would help me look
or even a sales clerk!
But after I prayed I felt encouraged
and then found the better options
and tried the first one on.
*
I really liked it.
And then the story got sweeter.
I was trying to get to a proper mirror to see
if the clothes fit properly on me.
When an older women
with a kind face and a proper nice NYC
type haircut and makeup
came up to me and said
she never usually talks to others
but really liked the outfit I was trying on.
Said it fit me well and
that I would get lots of compliments.
She asked what it was for
and so I said it was for my
husband's Christmas party
and she said,
oh, I used to go to these when my husband was alive
and wear outfits like this,
those were such nice times.
And then she advised me on jewelry and
it was so nice and kind
and reminded me of what a blessing I have
in Mr. Husband.
So I felt like St. Nicholas not only helped me
find an outfit
a very small thing
but even more brought someone kind to help me
and reassure me without me even asking
that what I had found was good.
So in the middle of NYC
I was blessed with the kindness of a stranger!
*
Here's pictures of what I found,
for those who are interested in these sorts of things...


The black skirt is ankle length
and fits me wonderfully.
The red shirt is really nice and modest
and still pretty.

With shiny flower buttons :)


That match my necklace

and earrings
that I bought years ago in Ottawa
for special events...

So that was great.
I felt relieved, happy and blessed!
*
Then I had time to browse in stores.

Here's the 12 Days of Christmas
China dish set
in one of the stores.
Lovely hey?!

I love seeing pretty dishes!

And little English Christmas party treats...

Also found some of my favourite drink
in NYC... it's made in Taiwan and
has Aloe in it...
 
Mr. Husband and I took the bus home
and I am thankful for this day.
I am also thankful for the friends
that I texted while going to and in NYC.
*
Blessed St. Nicholas day to everyone
celebrating this wonderful day today!

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Getting there


Our tulips perked up!


Today I cleaned and cleaned...
and made a nice meal
with candles lit!


We're getting better
day by day.
Mr. Husband is still coughing too much...
 
I talked to a good friend on the phone
today and wished she could of come over for tea!
She told me of a cookbook author
I had not heard of yet...
Have any of you heard of her?
*
Now that the house is in better order
I hope to get back to reading, baking and
building my life here.
*
But first, I hope tomorrow to go into NYC
to go shopping.
Husband's Christmas office party is
in 14 days...
and later this year we have a wedding to attend
so I am hoping to find something nice
to wear...
*
To all those on the new calendar,
happy St. Nicholas Day
tomorrow!!
*
I read a longer story of St. Ioannicius today
and learned that he was the first to pray
My hope is the Father,
my refuge is the Son,
my protection is the Holy Spirit,
O Holy Trinity, Glory to You.
*
I read this post on St. Barbara and Elder Paisios
the other day and
highly recommend it!
*
I am hoping to make cookies for St. Nicholas Day
and need to get going on that...
it is in 14 days for me!
Any and all baking suggestions,
do send my way! :)
*
Thanks for all the prayers for Mr. Husband and I's
recovery; we are making ground and
I pray that this continues.

Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Rainy Tuesday, Cloudy Wednesday



Still waiting to hear how the surgery went...
*
I love this little icon in my kitchen;
I love that I am surrounded by remembrances of
my Ottawa church family...

My White Board!
It's magnetic (and our posh steel fridge is not :( )
*
My most loved fridge magnets, prayers and pictures
are happily in place.
*
I love the grocery lists and other area below it,
in the cork-board section too.


We are keeping many candles and lampadas lit...

 
I made a second pizza the other day;
cheated by using a pre-made crust...
Added lots of mozzarella,
mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, Kale and
pepperoni on my DH half...
I think it turned out even better than the first!

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Christ is Ascended! Ascended in Glory!



Liturgy this morning.



So joyful.



Lunch with church friends after was very lovely.





Submitted another job application!


Nearly done with another cover letter


and resume first drafts.



Book club tonight.

I am really looking forward to this.

*

I hope to do at least two more applications other than the

one I am almost done with first draft

by Saturday afternoon.

*

I am going to try to be more effective in my job search.

One day at a time.

*

Today is my Grandma's 81st birthday!