(118) Please Pray

(Picture of church tonight).

***

About 4 PM L. called me from Rehab.

I had been meaning to call her; but with St Nicholas day on the 19th 

and we were in a hotel the night of the 18th so we could go to both 

vigil and liturgy, and then some unexpected challenges once we got home, 

better now but had to be dealt with as these things do, 

and I just could not catch a break to call her, as she would say.

Well, she called me and well.

She really had a setback this week.

Her neighbour P. had texted me earlier about it.

I did not realize the extent of the difficulties however and can 

tell that L. really has been distressed.

Dear friends, I wrote on Dec 6th St Nicholas day that she

had pneumonia and I was afraid I would lose her.

I believe the pneumonia is better than it was but the new things

that have come up have left her sounding so weak and with a voice

that sounds rough with pain and distress.

I saw her weeks ago as she was wheeled out of OR, where she

had extensive surgery to deal with her severe hip fracture

and her voice was much weaker and more rough than when she was just out of 

the OR and was lucid but a bit groggy.

She does not have family at all.

Our priest is visiting her a lot, her neighbour and I do what I can,

which never is as much as I wish I could do.

We hope to see her tomorrow.

Please pray for her.

Obviously I can't write exactly what is going on 

for her but I can tell you that things are 

concerning and that she is really suffering.

And very disappointed that she is not able to be

home by Christmas like she hoped.

Thank you so much for praying.

May God have mercy on L. and on all those who

are suffering!

Lord have mercy! 

Prayer Request

I learned later in the afternoon today on St Nicholas day,

that dear L, the older lady who is my church friend

and who fell a week ago, badly broke her hip, had surgery

and is now in rehab is not only in great pain but now

has pneumonia. Please pray for her.

I know in the elderly a hip break can lead to pneumonia and often

we lose them.  I don't want to lose L. so suddenly.

Please pray.  I am quite concerned.

She is not up for visitors right now.

My priest visited her however today.

Please please pray!

Saturday, looking towards next week

As promised, I wrote up the recipe and how GOOD these cookies are 

on my All the Ribbons blog earlier today!

They have this wonderful understated lemony tang,

the sweetness of the cookie is blissfully understated and the balance of 

flavours is lovely.  The cookie is soft, tender, chewy but crisp enough

that it clatters perfectly on the plate when serving the cookies.

I call it a cookie with an old soul, one that feels linked to the generations

before who have baked this cookie from Patrick's stash of recipes

handwritten on index cards.

For more, please read my blog post:

Lemon Crinkle Cookies!

I can't wait to have more of them tomorrow,

they are the understated type of cookie that wows you more mid-bite than immediately

but that you find yourself thinking about later, and wishing for another,

and then another.... 

 Breakfast was indeed decadent.

First the lemon crinkle cookies,

then a lovely biscuit with jam,

then a bit of the plum torte. 

(I still mean to blog this plum torte!)

Lunch was beef stroganoff, biscuits and sides of fruit salad and a green salad.

As you can see, I had a third lemon crinkle cookie with my fruit salad.... so good!

I walked by our laundry room and who did I see? Silly Cleo! :)

Finished my doughnut today too.

Pretty but I have had better...

We were really blessed to share vespers with friends from our other (far-away) church tonight

and go out to dinner with them.

It was a blessing to be with friends.

Also a blessing to have so much good food to eat.

***

We were not able to be in Michigan for Uncle Hank's funeral, which was today.

Three family members took pictures of the flowers we sent.

I am really sad we were not able to be there.

As my Mom would say,

It is what it is. 

***

So.  I am officially in countdown mode. 

Next Friday I go to Philly for the eye appointment that 

could take up to FIVE hours. 

I am going to need to leave the house before 8 AM.

My appointment is at 11:30 but I need to give myself a bit of

leeway for unexpected things, which from what my friend who lives in Philly

has told me, I will need. 

I will be lucky if I am home by 8 PM or so.

So I am planning my food, drink (including tea), snacks, 

knitting, book/s to ready, headphones to take, cell phone

battery to re-charge my phone, writing (paper, pens), prayer rope...

not to mention my medical papers/research, folders, notebook...and 

lots and lots of eye drops...

Mr Husband is not going with but he is only a phone call/email/text/chat away.

The trains there + uber are not hard.  

It's more that it will be 1) a long day 2) eye appointments of this nature and tests I find

difficult, I often feel overwhelmed and afraid... but who would not be if there 

is a possibility of severe vision loss?  Or even not fully severe (i.e. blindness) but totally unknown.

I keep clinging to 2 things: 1. God 2. No one that we know of in my family lines

has gone blind.  Of course I don't think we know more than 4 generations back but STILL.

It's really something to hold on to, based on what I know and what my

 friends and research show. 

***

Well.  That's about all for me.

I could use another cookie...

***

May God bless, help and save us!

Happy News, Sobering Need Prayer News and Chatting about dishes & easy dinners

First the happy news!

My sister, Rebecca, texted me on Monday with fairly HUGE unexpected news.

Their adopted daughter Raelyn had a half-brother born last week! 

Tuesday they went and met this little guy! 

They are calling him Michael 

and of course we are all thrilled!

My Grandma was over the moon when I talked to her,

my Mother of course is excited and already met the little guy 

and I can't wait to meet him, God willing, in the future.

We are all hoping the adoption will be a shorter process this time. 

Today, a year ago, was Raelyn's "gotcha day" as they say,

the day she was officially adopted. 

***

The second new is not as happy.

Our candle desk man, who I mentioned had fallen, 

is still in hospital. 

He was supposed to be going to rehab but his

lungs are compromised. 

I am quite concerned for his health and recovery.

Asking your prayers...

***

Granny Marigold, you mentioned using the bowls from this pattern I believe:

I just wanted to say that while I don't have any of these dishes, 

they are quite costly, as you can see the big plates are 18.99 per plate!

I have always admired this set! 

I first saw it when I was newly married, nearly 7 years ago! 

Well, while I am hoping to make Chicken Sate this weekend,

I do appreciate pre-made and frozen meals,

and parchment paper!

The above are fish sticks and I baked them at 425F in our 

toaster oven and used parchment paper so that they did not stick

to the metal pan while baking! 

I had leftover rice which we reheated with a bit of water 

in the microwave... some foodies and health-conscious types/hippie types

don't like microwaves but I am here to say that I do and for some things

they are so convenient! 

***

Well, there's the happy news, the sad news and chatty discussion for tonight!

May God help and have mercy on us all! 

And on to today {still sick but thankful}

Thank you all for your kind comments,

each was really encouraging!!! 

BTW, I realized after posting and looking at my post again later,

that blogger is having a difficulty sending comments right now.

I noticed that gmail is offering a new look again and by the sounds of it

that is the cause of the problem (see here)

so I will be more deliberate in looking at my comments on my 

internal dashboard to try to see them all.

***

So at present it feels like I have a cold in my throat;

as in I have drainage like a cold that is bothering my throat but my

nose is oddly not yet impacted; I've had it before that a cold 

sneaks in round about and starts somewhere other than in my nose

so that's what may be happening (we will see) and if so,

I may be in for another week or so of this.

Boo :( ... so my throat is swollen I think because of the drainage at present

and I am fatigued as if I have a doozy of a cold. 

But your comments were honestly quite encouraging.

Thanks.  I know that when one is feeling under the weather

everything seems a bit harder to bear than normal

and things have been hard and so, I am glad I have friends who care!

***

I've been re-reading DE Stevenson which has been just right

and I realized I needed to add lemon and honey to my herbal tea

and have black tea as well as it cheers me up.

***

Well, other than this Deb P on IG (of Smitten Kitchen fame)

posted on Stories a fun vintage cookbook and I ordered it!

I did not know of this cookbook but they are part of the 1980s-now 

fame of NYC/East Coast/American cooking world (James Beard, Julia Child) I found out

with a small bit of research. So that's fun also as I love

reading about these cooks/chefs and the like.

***

I love reading cookbooks and have been loving this one all over again:

Marion Cunningham worked with James Beard

and this book (and The Supper Book) have so many

mouth watering recipes that I want to make! 

I used the above (The Breakfast Book) 

for the epic brunch I had for my goddaughter and her Mother

that I see I still have not blogged about but will try to do so

this week.... 

***

Anyway, please if you may pray that I am able to go to liturgy tomorrow

as our local priest is going to be honoured for 55 years of service + marriage and 

I missed vespers with the Bishop (who will return tomorrow DV) so that I will

have more strength to go tomorrow... 

***

I am more resolved again to patience, 

as I wrote on social media earlier today:

This [sickness] is another lesson in the many 

layers of learning to be more patient. 

Our Good Lord knows that I need the lessons

 even when I have to make myself be thankful, 

for I do know that patience brings inward peace,

 ultimately as all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, 

the parts of love (1 Corinthians ch 13) do.

Meeting of the Lord, Time at Church and Home, and some Sad News

It was a wonderful beautiful feast day.

Mr Husband and I went out for lunch after

and then did a grocery run before going home.

Rested when home, dinner of left overs, a hot bath.

I had called my parents different times when I was home

but no answer, then my Mom called. 

My Aunt K. may be entering hospice soon.

Decisions to not undergo a treatment that may prolong life

but that would cause a lot of misery for her personally.

I am very close to this Aunt and my parents saw her today

in hospital and she asked if I knew her decision. 

So, I may be flying home soon to see her.

We are still trying to figure that part out.

***

Please pray for my Aunt and also for my Uncle and their 2 sons.

***

And that both myself and my Husband do not get sick.

***

Praising God for everything.... 

even the hard.

***

May the Lord have mercy on us!