Wednesday ~ almost foot loose and fancy free

I slept until 8 AM, knowing that I wanted to go to sewing group,

I woke but was so tired, I despaired going, but I

put on prayerful music, put the kettle on, choose 

a simple Trader Joes Chai Tea (I do enjoy that one!),

milk in the creamer (fast free Wednesday!),

granola and yogurt for breakfast.

I revived, made a phone call for the elderly gentleman,

got some information only to find out he already had it....

he really needs an apartment and it is slow in coming so far.

***

I went to sewing group! 

Got the quilt block of the month, fabric, etc.

Then I went to a nearby to the sewing group grocery store

that I remembered having cranberries and they did!

Fresh ones!!! 

I admit to stocking up on them... I love cooking and baking 

with cranberries.... I also know that I have a tendency

to stock pile when I am worried...

It's a real struggle for me, 

I read on social media that there has been studies showing that stress of

one's Grandmother can impact the Granddaughter and I know

my family on one side went through the Great Depression and

my Oma lived through WWII with my Opa in hiding for a good part of it.

My Dad commented how for sure Oma went without meat

so she could feed her then 7 children...

(My Mom was born after WWII). 

Anyway, I am very much like one who has survived

hardship like that; I think that I went through a period in 

Ottawa where I did not know how to pay rent for about 3 months and 

then had unstable income for another 5 months 

also impacted me.

I know it is a problem, or could be seen as one,

but on the other hand, I just love 

knowing that I have much on hand for preparing food, tea and baked goods;

I even had a hieromonk (that means priest-monk) once say it is really good for me to have 

baked goods on hand for when someone comes to tea...

In part I feel like I am doing my job as a wife to have supplies on hand,

and to make things that can help my Husband and bless others...

Anyway, it hard for me to discern what is best,

but boy do I appreciate my pantry.

I know it is all God's and I really love sharing it...

I get such joy in things like cranberries or the hope of 

later making my first lemon pie...

***

So, Mr Husband went out to lunch and had steak,

mine on a thick toasted bread and Husband's with a salad;

he choose fries and I chose a salad as a side

and there were mussels in a tomato gravy!

So delicious!

We had the leftovers for dinner, 

with an addition of green salad and a fruit salad...

***

I had one chocolate truffle today and 

really savoured the flavours...

***

I made chicken stock/bone broth!

Have lots of it now!

So grateful!

I had it in my crock pot for 24 hours on low,

with chicken meat + innards, chicken bones and a bit of

chicken skin also... with at least 3 cloves of garlic, chopped,

ginger peeled, chopped, and one big onion chopped in smallish pieces.

***

I am hoping to keep feeding my Husband

with bone broths and am so glad to have this...

***

So, today was better, thank God.

I am a bit worried about when Mr Husband returns to work,

the stress + exhaustion of it for him... 

***

I am so grateful for all of God's blessings,

and that we are blessed beyond measure in terms of 

food and tea provisions! :)

(speaking of tea, if you love tea and tea time, you would like this post

very much!)

***

Tomorrow we are forecasted to have 8 to 12 inches of snow!

I am hoping for everyone to stay safe, that power stays on,

and that I can get some pictures... :) Esp. as the snow

won't last since we live in NJ and weather never stays the same.

Don't like it? wait a day! is what they say here! 

For instance today was 64F, I did not even use my coat! 

Only a warmish blazer! 

***

Thank you everyone for your kind comments on yesterday's post

and in emails... I am really encouraged by them. 

Snow on the weekend; we had power, thank God!

The snow as it came down on Friday night.

We got everything ready
in case we lost power.

You can see the snow falling!

Mr. Husband guesses we had
8-12 inches...

 

Saturday we woke to a still heated home
as the power stayed on
and it was beautiful and sunny!
*
Weekends are my busiest times now;
I remember years ago my
sister-friend telling me that Saturday was super
busy for her as she was married, etc.
*
Now I understand this more...
*
One of my new friends and I were talking
about how one does not really know
what it is like to undergo huge life-changing events
like marriage, or having a child, etc
until one has experienced it themselves.
*
I love being married.
I also can say that until one has done it
one does not really know what it is like.
*
In a few weeks Lent will begin it's beginning
with the fast free week, then a week of normal fasting
then a week of fasting from meat only
and then the full Lenten fast.
*
My new church fasts differently than my Ottawa church
and I can tell that it is going to be a bit of a learning curve
and I imagine that I will be really homesick for my
Ottawa parish as Lent is my favourite time
of year there.
*
Lent is really late this year.
So strange that Pascha will be in the beginning of May.
*
I am really glad for a Lenten cookbook that
one of my new friends gave me
as a wedding gift.
*
Since our house blessing got postponed,
I am hoping to get more little things
done to our place before
it is blessed.
*
One day at a time...
*
Do keep praying for Noah.
He is ill again...