(50) ~ Canadian Thanksgiving 2019

What a good day this turned out to be...

I had some moments of sadness (Cleo's absence esp) but 

felt so glad that I FINALLY baked the turtle bars

(though I clearly made an error in making the 3rd little one, as I needed more

topping but will make it work...)

I also need to rewrite the recipe for these bars, perhaps tomorrow! 

***

We enjoyed hot turtle bar right before dinner...

I got out my little Canadian flag tray that I got at IKEA in Ottawa

before I moved, with the purpose of having Canadian Thanksgiving

in my new life with Mr Husband... 

***

Oh, to answer Granny Marigold's question about if I knew,

when I met my then boyfriend now Mr Husband for the first time

in Ottawa for Canadian Thanksgiving weekend...

if I knew he was going to become my Husband....

We had been emailing since later July of that year and, as we

were both older (I was then 34 and he was past 45), 

we were not dating to just 'have fun' dating.

Both of us do not see life that way - as in we would never had just 

dated without the hope of marriage. 

We talked about it tonight and we both agreed even on the same wording,

we would not have wanted to invest in a long distance relationship if there

was not a very distinct chance at marriage.

Actually Mr Husband is the only man I dated and I got my wish,

to date only one person and marry him! 

So by the time we met, I was already thinking marriage,

though we were still in the making-sure-this-was-indeed-a-good-thing

stage of things.... I knew more when I visited him in November in NJ

and even more when my Oma died and my now Husband then boyfriend

went to the funeral with me; he met so many relatives, as my Mom

is the youngest of 8 children and all my Aunts and Uncles are

grandparents by now and had all at least 2-3 children each themselves...

then I knew... and by December we were talking wedding plans... not sure

exactly how/when that happened but so it was... !

***

I really feel that my marriage to Mr Husband is really one of the 

miracles of God in my life, in our life.

And it is one that we ask God to protect every night;

we always pray for our marriage, as life is not easy

and marriage is a joy but also work and needs to be 

continually bathed in prayer.

Anyone who has been married more than a few years will tell you,

there are highs and lows in marriage, just like they are in life itself.

Prayer, communication, a willingness to see oneself and the other in truth

(i.e. you see not only one's failings but the other's point of view etc.)

and a good sense of humour are all 

"bare necessities" for a long lasting marriage...!

And I really feel that asking God for protection for one's marriage 

is so important; it is too easy to think one has it made already,

that one's marriage is a sure thing without work and prayer ... I believe that

living like this can lead to heartbreak...

***

Well, on to other things.... I practiced the makeup for the wedding,

got it down to 30 minutes, I am sure soon it will be 20 minutes with 

a bit more practice.  I am pleased with my progress!

***

I did so much laundry today! 

I had found some more great thick towels at the VNA rummage sale

and boy do I love the luxury of such

soft thick towels that I got for only a few dollars!

***

I listened to more of Tolkien's Silmarillion while I was

sort and folding laundry...

***

I also talked with my Grandma and later my Mom,

when I was washing dishes, before I made the 

turtle bars.

***

one of the things I listened to while baking was

this Hobbit music...

I can't really watch the Tolkien movies;

too much for me; 

I'd rather read them or listen to them any day,

but I enjoy some of the sound track...

***

Tomorrow I hope to go to NYC to my library and that really cheers me up.

I have somewhere to go now, 

a place to do work, even if slowly, on my writing,

a routine, familiar faces, a trip by PATH and subway that I have done

various times and that I enjoy.

This is really one of the turns for me for the better in my life.

Really helps me not only with the loss of Cleo but 

with when the weeks are long and I don't have anyone in particular to see.

So I find that this library makes all the difference for me,

at least in this part of my life,

this chapter of it, that is.

***

Well, it is beyond time for me to seek to sleep.

May God bless and protect us all!

And help us when things are difficult, exhausting,

worrying and a huge struggle... 

(49) a beautiful day

Church this morning,

talking afterwards with friends,

a restful afternoon,

a nice walk and then I put the chicken in to roast!

(I had prepared it yesterday and left it in the fridge, covered with foil).

I roasted potatoes (this recipe but with fresh parsley, a whole bunch,

cut and put on top after oil and garlic, salt and pepper).  

I was in a hurry so I did not cut the potatoes but they would have been

better cut, so for next time...and tomorrow's leftovers will be halved first,

after the boiling!

I also roasted Brussels sprouts using my friend's instructions:

 I just cleaned and halved them, set the oven to 430 or so and warmed butter and oil in the pan before tossing them in with lots of nutmeg and some salt/pepper.  Shifted them about a few times while cooking.  Probably 20 minutes or so!

I baked it all at 430F.

the chicken was in for 50 minutes and then covered.

Baked probably another 50 or 60 minutes (less would have been fine) while I got the 

2 roasted vegetables ready and roasted!

This weekend is 

Canadian Thanksgiving and is the weekend 8 years ago that my Husband and

I first met in person...he flew up to Ottawa and spent the long weekend with me,

staying at my dear Romanian friends A&A!

Our first night I had a dinner party...I did not announce my

relationship with Mr Husband 

(who believe it or not I called Ortho-man for Orthodox-Man before marrying him

on my blog that is) until we had a wedding date and a ring picked out...

but that dinner party I did record, without mentioning who was all there

or the possible future life-changing ramifications! 

***

We had a really nice Sunday dinner and it was with so many happy memories

of that first weekend we met and how happy we were

and how glad we are married now;

it was a very good day.

***

I am thankful for those glimpses back and there again, as it were,

those moments when you see what you are blessed with

and are given a lift past the current worries or struggles

to remember the bigger picture and how wonderful it is that 

we are married and have our life together... 

***

I pray that no matter what, you can have those moments too,

or recollection, of seeing God's love and merciful hand

in your life....

Monday ~ Feast Day Blessings and thanksgiving

Thanksgiving list! 

1. We were able to go to liturgy today! My Oma passed away 6 years ago and it is so meaningful to be in church on this day 

2. My Husband is my valiant Best Friend. 

3. So I have had reports that the cardamon cake I baked (The one with more sugar) was quite good. I am hoping next week to try a yellow coffee cake with cinnamon and cardamon.

4. Seeing kids at church being happy at church and playing church (today again a little young boy was play priest, holding up his book, etc, it was so so dear). 

5. Husband and I stocked up on a few things we needed at the grocery store and that's always a blessing. 

6. Laughter and good humour.

 7. St. Nicholas day (new calendar) is soon!!! (I do it twice here, one can never have enough of St Nicholas day in my book!).

8. A dear friend sent me a card with a beautiful magazine with an article by

beloved Mat. Rebekah!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was a wonderful time of fellowship, food, conversation, beauty and thankfulness! 

The meal from Fresh Direct was 100% perfect. 

Friends helped me set up and clean up afterwards. 

It was a really blessed time! 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and all of God's blessings and comfort!

...blessings in sorrow...

After church liturgy and forgiveness vespers

for the beginning of Great Lent,

we saw pictures from years past, many of them

from before my time in NJ, of various ones

of our church and some really lovely ones of Patrick...

It will be 2 weeks tomorrow night that he 

departed this earth...

afterwards we needed to pick some things up

regarding Patrick as my Husband is involved

in his final affairs on this earth

and I saw his home for the first time since he

has passed on... 

by the time I knew Patrick and was visiting him,

he was already in his 80s and was losing a lot of his

strength and such... 

so today was the first time that I saw his house on a more

detailed level... it's such a beautiful home, with furniture

that is is from a more refined era and lots of beautiful icons and 

pictures of various historical things.

And of course I took pictures... the one above

is one I quickly took of some of his blessed candles from

a few years ago... and by it, I did not even realize,

was a postcard from Ottawa... that I am sure that we sent him...

I know we had some sent from my Husband and I... 

probably when we were on our honeymoon 

and I would know that postcard anywhere,

but I did not realize it was there so I will have to go 

back later and see it... but it was so beautiful to realize it was there...

While I was looking at Patrick's home, in such

warm sunlight,

I was called back down and was given a very special icon 

of St Herman... my first Orthodox church that I ever went to 

was dedicated to St. Herman and I went to a small church

in London Ontario that had this icon of St Herman

in the back of their church,

and I would always stand by it...

It was so special to me as St Herman was my first Saint

and very much my Father-Daddy-Saint, if I can say it that way.

I really felt his care like a father for me, a young woman of 

27 who still had so much growing to do, young despite her years,

and I was a student back then and I don't believe I had an icon of St Herman 

until I was living in Ottawa, after I left London Ontario.... I was at 

a church dedicated to St Nicholas after my time at St Herman's and their

iconography was still progressing and they did not, at the time,

have an icon at all in the church of St. Herman,

and I missed seeing his icon so much... I had a small

paper drawing icon of him at home, but that was all....

so having the icon at church in London Ontario was deeply meaningful to me.

I knew St Herman to be my protector, even though there was so much I did

not understand yet, at that point....

I would just stand by this icon of St Herman and be aware of him,

as if I was standing right next to him... 

when I would walk back from the bus after 10 at night

in the wintertime in London Ontario, in 

the dark snow filled night, I would have to walk by

a more unlit dodgy feeling street, I think it had a bar and I always

felt a bit unsafe, but I would do 2 things, since I really had to walk that way home

and I used the computers at school for my work...

first I would have my keys out as the only thing I knew

to tangibly protect myself, but the other thing was that I would

think of St Herman and would just think about him and think about

him walking right next to me, that I would hold his hand all the way home...

not that I would think or imagine this in detail, but that somehow I was doing this,

just thinking about him as my protector and that I would get home safe.

Well, today this icon came home with me,

13 years later... it was one that Patrick had on the inside wall

of his breezeway and it was given to me...so

unexpectedly, I nearly started bawling...

(I had already had a few tears when seeing Patrick's house,

I learned to cry, really, when I lived in Ottawa,

but that's another story)...

and so it is here by my lampada on my buffet,

by the lampada that I started having lit all the time there

for Patrick when he suddenly took to being very ill... 

This icon is such a deep treasure for me,

something that is a deep blessing and I feel that

it is a great blessing to have this at the beginning of 

Great Lent this year...

it gives me hope, it gives me courage

and so Lent begins and for this,

I join others in thanking God.... 

Yesterday, Today and Hope for Tomorrow

Last night I made Elderberry Syrup before going to vespers for

the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord into the Temple...

The Syrup is very much liquid, so I am wondering if I should of 

reduced it further... but now it has the honey in it, so I will just leave it.

Boy is it sweet! 

I am going to be trying different things for 

strength and immune boosts...

I went to vespers by myself that night,

as Mr Husband had been to the doctor in NYC already

and needed to rest.

It was wonderful to be there... 

I went to the store after vespers,

it's just down the street from church.

I got ingredients for this soup...

I may research more recipes for this...

I have fun sometimes just looking at tea ingredients,

without buying the tea! 

Of course I am also seeing how I can make the tea

at home with what I have...since I have a well stocked pantry! 

It was wonderful to be at Church again,

this time with Mr Husband...

Afterwards we went to the middle eastern restaurant again, 

where we had lunch...

I got this hand blender in the mail today!

I have hopes to use it for soups, smoothies and more!

We had a good friend over for tea!

Mr. Husband and I really enjoyed our conversation!

And I love having tea all ready! :)

We had left overs for dinner,

and clementines and the very last of my Grandma's date bread.

I called her this week and she said that the recipe for it was her

Mother's recipe and promised me she would mail a copy to me...

I am really looking forward to this!

***

We don't yet know when Mr Husband will be strong enough to return 

to work, but I am already beginning to think about that.

I am really hoping we can regain our health and strength...

and I am seeing the need for myself to get out more,

once he is back to work.

It is such a tricky balance for me...I have a lot to do at home,

from keeping house, baking, reading, writing, researching...

I think I need to figure out ways to do this (the last part)

outside of the house, so that I have more interactions with people.

I had ideas for this before, with a few possible

libraries in NYC, but I was researching this in July, and we had such a busy

fall - we traveled by plane 4 times from Labour Day - Western Christmas.

It was partly just how it happened, this particular year.

This new year we are hoping to stay home a LOT more,

and REST.  Anyway, all that to say, that I have not had time really to 

try to figure out other places for me to be during the week

and all the travel made it impossible to figure out.

***

I really long to have a more predictable schedule. 

To have at home days and away/social days.

To have time to do the home-tasks and have time for other things, 

like quilting, knitting, reading, writing, baking...

It's been a challenge for me to try to create this in part because we have

really been traveling so much, last year...

***

Mr Husband still has his cold, though he had a bit more energy today.

We keep trying to figure out ways to help him.

We live in hope and we keep praying...