Sigh ~ Evening Quiet...

The Mother of God
Joy of All Who Sorrow.
*
Akathist here.

Someone kindly came today
to help with things.

A roast was made for us to eat tomorrow.
Things are put back in order.
The clean is calming...

Late this afternoon
I played an Akathist to St. Seraphim as
I knitted.
*
I talked with my Grandma and Mom. :)
And my dish cloth is done,
just needs to be binded off! 

This is the next yarn I am
going to work with.
I love experimenting.
For now I am sticking to scarves.
I figure it is a great way to learn how
different yarns work and
will teach me a lot.

This scarf is almost done!!

 

I am going to try the
cotton bamboo yarn with a
number 7 needle
and see what happens.
If it does not work,
I can always frog it back.
*
I am dreaming of bread baking on Friday.
*
Tomorrow is medical appointment
where I hope to hear that I am OK
and that somehow they were wrong about the
whole
I have mono thing.
I really hope...
*
Mr. Husband is home
and I am so glad. 

Decisions and waiting

 

After days of the high dose of
medicine
plus no/small amounts of sleeping for days
among other things
I finally hit the wall with it last night.
*
This morning I decided that
I just would stop that medicine now;
I'd had enough,
the allergic reaction is fading away
and the other risks were greater
and I no longer wished to feel so incredibly
wired while needing to rest,
since the doctor told me I had mono.
*
I go back to the doctor tomorrow
and hope to know more then.
*
It is going to take a while for the
high-octane meds to get out of my system
but at least the continued craziness is
slowly subsiding.
*
Whew, whew, whew.
I'd had enough!!!
*
Meanwhile I am knitting.
I ordered more yarn and two more sets of
needles - an size 8 and size 13
for two projects I want to start on soon.
*
I feel that it will take me a week just to recover from the last
few weeks...
I just hope I am really on the way to full recovery;
I really wanted to make bread today
but I still don't have the strength.
*
At least I can knit...
*
And this morning I changed the table cloth
and candle-sticks.
I am slowly changing things as we gear up for Lent
and I wanted my table to try to reflect a change as well.
I am looking forward to putting out the Lenten icons.
*
Lord have mercy on us!
Sometimes things seem like a really heavy burden;
at the same time,
I am increasingly aware of God's mercy and love.
Lord have mercy,
Lent is coming!
Lord, bring us to Pascha and the Joy of Your Resurrection! 

My First Yarn Along!

Here is the scarf that is almost
finished...

The yarn I am using.
(FYI, cheaper to buy through the
company website than through amazon).

My second scarf!
I am almost out of the skein I am using
and need to order more...
this one is for one of my relatives back home...

My dish cloth!
At least half done...
goal is to make two as part of a
special gift for another
family member...

My third scarf!
A cute little one
for one of my nieces
(shhh! don't tell! :) )

This one I am doing with the purl stitch
to have practice doing it.
*
I am finding that I am loving the bamboo needles
that I am using;
they seem to hold the yarn a bit better...
the circular needles I am loving for
things I can take with me to work on.
*
I have another yarn order in the works
and dreams of more fun things to make.
I am keeping it simple for now,
doing scarves and soon I hope little
blankets for some of the
short people in my life!
*
It's been about 3 weeks of knitting so far and I am just loving it!

Sleep is elusive but God is always here

 

Our fridge in our galley kitchen.
Christmas letters/photos will be up all year
smiling at us,
reminding me of so many
who I and Mr. Husband love.
*
This is the last day
I hope to God
for the medicine I am on
that is creating such insomina.
It's the insomnia with sleeping pills
as opposed to the kind without.
*
But yet I sense God's mercy.
*
I am such a wimp - Mr. Husband had to remind me
that it has yet to be 3 weeks since I have been
mainly sequestered to home.
*
I lament not baking bread
yet how God has provided so deeply for me
with the new task of knitting.
*
The first scarf that is mostly finished
is with this yarn.
It is being documented here
on my Raverly account.
I still have to add pictures.
If you have an account, feel free to add me there!
*
The one question I have about yarn right now
is that I have had two of the skeins (one, two)
that I am knitting along with
and suddenly there are tangles in the yarn and
I have to spend a lot of time fixing them
before I can resume knitting.
Basically I have to untangle and make into a
ball of yarn.
Is this a universal problem
or is it the brand I am using or the type of yarn?
Is there someway to avoid this
literal knotty problem?
*
Side note: since I am not able yet to go out
much, I am ordering a lot of yarn online.
I am finding the Lion Brand website
even being with shipping costs
of less of a cost than what the same sells on
amazon.
*
I am hoping to look through old pictures and
write about one of my old apartments
as a way to remember God's mercy
and the time lived in it.
*
God is so good to us.

Recently Watched and Highly Recommended!

 

Back in December
Mat. Emily posted a
awarding-winning video
that her father-in-law sent her.
*
I finally watched it,
knitting many rows on a green scarf I am working on.
*
It is so beautiful.
SO SO beautiful.
You can watch it here.

Blessings around the house, humour and goodness

This beautiful icon
was a gift
to Mr. Husband and I during our
courtship.
The first icon we were given together.
I love that I can see it
when sitting in my chair, facing
our icon corner.
Such a blessing to have so much beauty
in the Orthodox church...
I can't imagine my life without it now!
Been about 9 years or so in the church...

This delft tile is our
wedding tile
from my parents.
It is in our kitchen...
*
Who knew that I would marry
Mr. Husband,
a Dutchman with a love for
beauty and delft like myself?
Surely this is as my
sister friend says:
a gift from God.

I got this delft tile of
a sail boat for
Mr. Husband last summer,
the summer we were engaged to be married.
My cousin A, my Mom and I went to
the Dutch village in Holland MI
and one of the things I was
looking for
was a tile for Mr. Husband,
then my unmarried Orthoman.
A. found this one and it
is perfect
as sailing was in his family in decades past.

I got this kitchen magnet at the Dutch village
years ago with my sister
before she moved to Romania
with her husband.

Last fall
on a day which I remember
Mr. Husband having a really rough
commute home
after hurricane sandy,
a box came for Mr. Husband and I
with this beautiful wedding gift -
USA made pottery,
big enough to hold the soup ladle, spoons
and spatulas.
I love it; it is actually big enough and tall
enough to fit many cooking things in.
When I am cooking or baking
in the kitchen,
which pre-illness was very often,
I would grab things from this
day in and day out. 

So I am a bit spacey sometimes
comically so at times
I would say.
The insomnia that is going on of course
makes this more noticeable to say the least...
So the day, while Mr. Husband was
busy with other tasks,
I put away some mugs and rearranged them.
We all have quirks and how the mugs
are in the cupboard is one of mine.
So the mug above,
which my Mom found at a garage sale
years ago and gave me when
I graduated with my Masters in Library Science,
was on the counter and
I put it away with the others.

Later Mr. Husband asks where his mug is.
The graduation mug.
I said I put it in the cupboard with the others.
What? He said.
It has water in it that I was drinking!
And he rushes to the cupboard and there it is,
on top row of mugs,
full of water,
thankfully none of it split.
I found this to be very amusing... :)

 

Mr. Husband wore his
dark cameo army surplus shirt while
he was cooking the liver and onions the other day.
*
That way if any of the
blood got on his shirt,
he could tell his nephews that
the blood was from when he bayoneted
an enemy...
alas, the shirt was not dirtied...
:)
*
Did I mention that Mr. Husband and I
share the same sense of
wacky humour?
Clearly we were made for each other... 

Tuesday Sunshine and Prayers for Others

Yesterday was quite the day
on the prayer request front.
*
Not only did I learn that
the beloved Matriarch and Patriarch 
who are like grandparents to my Ottawa Parish
are really struggling....
*
One of my close friends
who was at my Ottawa bridal shower
and wedding,
who I met the very vespers service
over 7 years in my Ottawa parish
told me of two of her family members health
struggles,
including a newly diagnosis-ed cancer.
*
I am still waiting and praying for
another Ottawa friend who has
pneumonia
and
the list goes on from there.

So the candles are lit...
*
(Next time not so many
candles in this one,
too much heat by the glass
and it got a very small crack in it;
lesson learned).
*
I sent my friend this
Akathist to the Mother of God, Healer of Cancer
via email.
*
I listened to this wonderful
short podcast this morning,
early,
as the meds I am on are doing
a huge insomnia number on me
(tomorrow is the last day to be on them,
Thank God).
The podcast, by
Frederica Mathewes-Green
is about current thoughts she is having on
intercessory prayer and
when you see others suffering and
just want the suffering to end.
Worth listening to.

Mr. Husband and I are hoping
for a dinner that is simple
and that I learned from my sister-friend.
*
Toasted bread, butter, avocado and chicken.
With a salad on the side...
We got my last sour dough bread
that we had been saving
out of the freezer...
*
I must admit that I am hoping to make more
bread tomorrow.
I know I am supposed to be resting,
but am hoping that with using the mixer
to knead the dough,
it will not be too much work.
And someone we know is DV coming tomorrow
to help with some things while I am unwell...
so, we will see.
*
Not being able to do everything,
like my new found love of baking bread,
gives new meaning to me of
the Our Father:
give us our daily bread. 

I am in forever-love with my kitchen
and the sunlight in the mornings.

These two cards
(I had to hand write the verse for the second
as it was behind this icon)
were part of one of our wedding gifts.
From one of my dearly beloved prayerful Catholic friends.
I just love them.

 

This 365 day verse calendar
was given to Mr. Husband and I
by my cousin A. who
has given so many beautiful things to me
throughout the years.
*
A good reminder for me today.
I know I am supposed to be still and resting.
At the same time I admit to asking God
how can I rest when am taking
meds that wire me day and night?
But I guess that is where
the lacking self-discipline is supposed to be
worked on...
*
So I will keep knitting!
Oh, here's another great thing
for anyone who loves children to listen to:
The Akathist to the Mother of God Nurturer of Children
read by Frederica Mathewes-Green.
One of my dear friends had asked
me via email if I knew of an audio version of this 
Akathist and I realized 
not only did I know of this one,
but did not know if I had ever shared it with you all!
It's really lovely and I love it
for praying for my godchildren...
*
If anyone knows of other places to listen to audio 
versions of Akathists, 
please do let me know
either through a comment 
or my blog email 
(roosjeblog AT yahoo DOT CA).
Thanks!
*
I hope to do a knitting post soon.
I am almost done with the first scarf,
have two more scarves going
and more than half way on the dish cloth!
*
Blessings on your day!

Food for thought

 

One of my friends
sent me this video
a few weeks ago.
*
I finally had a chance to watch it.
*
If you have not seen it,
from the little mountain
I recommend it.
*
Wonderful as preparation for lent.

Monday - sunshine, laughter, sadness, prayers and the Saints

Mr. Husband made
the liver and onions last night.
I helped at the last minute
but he did all the work.
*
It was sweeter than I thought it would be.
I am having a second helping today
for lunch and find them
even better the next day.

Mr. Husband esp. loves the burnt parts...
:)

I love how Mr. Husband and I
can joke around.
He's doing a lot of the work
right now since I am still unwell...
*
Mrs. Wife: are you going to have dessert?
Mr. Husband: No. Were you?
Mrs. Wife: I was thinking of having some ice cream.
Mr. Husband: well, why don't you eat some ice cream
and talk to me while I do dishes?
Mrs. Wife: well, I am supposed to obey my husband so 
I guess I will eat some ice cream! 
Mr. Husband: There's a first time for everything. 
:)

When Mr. Husband first
visited me in Ottawa
1.5 years ago or so now
he bought me groceries.
Specifically he bought me a
Liter of Olive Oil
which he carried many blocks home for me.

One thing I try to do every morning
is light our lampadas,
putting in fresh oil,
tending the wicks,
cleaning them a little
and lighting them... 

Mr. Husband,
back when he was not yet Mr. Husband
but was my Orthoman
 buying me that
olive oil
was a deeply meaningful gift for me
as I strive to always have my
main hanging lampada to St. George
lit at all times. 

 

I have loved St. John of Shanghai and Sans Francisco
for years now;
I have linked to talks about him in the past.
I've read this book on his life 
a few summers ago
and was at the Greek monastery
a few year ago I was there
on his day.
*
A few days before a local Ottawa clergyman
from another church
and I met unexpectedly on the street near where
I live.
I mentioned the job loss that I was facing at the time
and he said to ask Vladkya John for his help.
I did not realize then that it was just a few days
before Saint John's Day
and that I would be at the Greek monastery on his day.
*
I went into the chapel at the monastery
and there was a small icon of him
in the front on the iconostasis;
I was alone and able to pray for his help.
*
Meanwhile Mr. Husband loves St. John Maximovitch as well
and the icon you see in the picture above
is one he was given some years back.
*
We still look for his help.
*
This morning I learned that
one of the parishioners at my
Ottawa parish is continuing to be quite ill.
He is one of the oldest parish members,
worked in the church and church cemetery for years
and he and his wife both made it
to the liturgy, my wedding and the reception
even though they were ill.
The cloth that was used for the table
for the Dance of Isaiah
at the wedding was borrowed from them,
their only child had been swaddled in it
just after he had been baptized.
*
They taught me the love of the prayers for
the departed and of caring for the church in
practical daily ways.
She taught me how to fold alter clothes that
we used there.
I told her once that when I grow up
I want to be just like her.
He is ill,
more ill everyday.
It is a great suffering.
*
I am so happy to be married to Mr. Husband.
I would not change my life one bit.
But how I miss those I love in Ottawa
and feel my prayers
so small compared to what I wish I could
pray for them.
*
They are like the Grandparents of the parish
and we all pray with and for them
where ever we may be.
*
I am glad I can bring needs like this to our
very loving and tender Mother of God,
the Most Holy Theotokos.
To St. Nectarios and to St. John Maximovitch.
*
Sometimes we pray only with tears,
sometimes with Akathists
and sometimes with simple words.
*
God promises his mercy and to hear.
*
Akathists that may be of use for such sorrows
that I have found are
Akathist to the Mother of God Joy of those who Sorrow
Akathist to of Shanghai and Sans Francisco 
Akathist to St. Nectarios.

Sunday blessings

Years back,
when I was in my mid-twenties and living
in beautiful BC
one of my close friends
gave me this beautiful tin of
tea.
Peppermint Chamomile.

I refilled the tin last night
with more chamomile tea
(from my Ukrainian sister)
and some mint tea from
my Ottawa Bridgehead... 

We also got a new tea
that I got stored last night
of chamomile and lavender...
*
Both a really enjoyable and calming...

Mr. Husband is making me rest
and is doing kitchen tasks
while listening to a book on CD...
Very homey and good.

Cleo is as cute as always.

My Orthocat :)

My cute little comforting ball of fur...

Mr. Husband and I made it to liturgy...
now I am back in my cozy corner again...
*
The allergic reaction is not painful but
also not leaving that quickly...
*
Three more days after today of the
high dose meds.
I eat more and am craving chocolate. :)
*
It was so very good to get out today and
yesterday... being stuck at home
esp. when Mr. Husband is at work
can be a little tedious at times.
But I have my knitting
and it is a real improvement to have moved my
computer over here, with Mr. Husband's monitor...
*
I am missing my Godson who is over 1 years old now
in Ottawa...
I really wished to go to Ottawa for a weekend in Lent
but now with my uncertain and unclear health,
it is not looking as likely...
but God is with us
and even though Lent is hard,
I am really looking forward to it...
*
While trusting in God's mercy
and the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos...
(Akathist here).
*
I am loving these two (one, two) new to me blogs
that I found via my new knitting love...
*
I am dreaming of baking again...
especially baking bread...
I got this book on Valentines Day,
the day I fell ill,
and am eager to use it,
when my health permits...
*
Believe it or not,
we are trying a recipe for
liver and onions.
The way we figure,
I can use the extra boost and
this is one way to get it...
We were fortunate to find
grass-fed humanely raised liver...
*
Did I mention today that I am so
grateful to God for Mr. Husband?
My heart wants to burst with gratefulness.
*
I am slowly getting caught up on my
blog reading - if I missed yours,
do forgive me.
*
Blog note:
in the midst of my health stuff,
my blog email -
roosje blog AT yahoo . CA
email was spammed and
an URL sent out.
If you got one, DELETE.
So sorry I did not remember to pass this on to you all earlier...
Been a bit hectic around here...
*
Do all, let me know how you are.
I am blessed to have each of you!

Saturday, full, quiet, loved

Mr. Husband is letting me use his monitor
for my lap top...
now on the coffee table,
with both my new
love mugs.
Tea in one, water in the other.
Funny,
I know...
but they hold lots of liquid and
I have a bit of a cough/head cold going on as of
this morning.
*
Mr. Husband and I
are weathering this storm
by the prayers of many
and the grace of God.
*
It deepens our love for each other.
*
Had blood work this AM
and then we found this place
for take out food.
I got breakfast. :)
*
I also worked on knitting while out and about this morning.

My knitting projects :)
Two scarves now and the dish cloth.

I am keeping the yarn in this yellow
klennex box...
 it keeps the yarn from rolling everywhere...
It is for this new scarf...
a fun green scarf...
with large bamboo needles!
13 inch ones... 

The dish cloth that I
frogged (= ripped out)
and have started over.
Using new circular needles;
works great for this project! 

 

The first scarf I have been
working on for a while.
*
So that's been nice.
*
Got email news that one of my Ottawa friends
had pneumonia
and that other were/are ill.
The sicknesses that are going on this year are
really quite wretched.
*
I am dreaming of more knitted projects.
*
4 more days of the strong meds.
The allergic reaction is still present;
itchy at times.
*
Mr. Husband and I did our first
online grocery order.
Got a new tea:
lavender and chamomile - hope to have some tonight.
We are learning how to do things new ways
since I am still unwell.
*
Inwardly I feel very thankful.
Outwardly tired and unable to rest well
due to the meds.
*
Cleo is still the cutest cat in all of North America.
*
Some new people at my Ottawa parish got
married today.
I woke up this morning
thinking about them...
*
Somehow this time of things I think
ultimately I and Mr. Husband will look back
on with some affection
though it is not easy when in the midst of it.

Another very full day of God's mercy

 

Accomplishments and things about today:

1. The above dishcloth has more rows.
Pictures later.

2. My allergic reaction was only worsening.
I went to a derm and she
only shook her head at the
medical treatment I had yesterday
at the ER.
(what a surprise, sigh).
So I am on much higher meds now.

3. Good news: she does not think it was a return of
the dreaded rash I had a few years ago
that those who have known me for a long
time will remember.

4.  I had this really cool Coptic Christian taxi driver
and we talked all about God, St. Menas,
Archangel Michael, St. George,
St. Mary of Egypt, St. Paul of Thebes.
And King David and the Giant.
And he told me this:
Pope Shanouda had said
"put God between your troubles and you and 
God will stay and your troubles will leave".

5. Mr. Husband is wonderful and supportive.

I am so thankful for all of my friends who prayed for me today;
I did not have time to blog but did email and FB
and each person who prayed
I am SO thankful for!

Praying now for a quiet weekend and God's mercy....

Simply not the break I had in mind

It's been two weeks since
I fell ill with something that my doctor
calls mono and that has
my throat swollen.
*
I had forgotten how frustrating it is
to just be home and be so limited
in what I can do.
*
I had broken my foot a few years ago
so I've had a go of time when I could do very little.
*
So to say I wanted to get out of the house
is an understatement at this point.
*
Well,
I got out of the house.
*
One moment I am dreaming of all I want to do
when I am better from whatever I have
and the next I have this sudden
almost-everywhere allergic reaction
going on while Mr. Husband is at work and
am told by my doctor's nurse to call
911 and go to ER by ambulance.

By the time Mr. Husband comes
carrying this beautiful single
rose that he got outside of the transit depot
I have my go-back-home-papers
with very little medicine
and nothing but conflicting information
in what felt a frustrating comedy of errors.
That am my doctor said never take
the antibiotic I am currently on again.

 

The mugs I ordered came in the mail,
the ones so there is one less thing to worry 
about in the dishwasher mugs.
*
One side says
love
and the other
endures all things.
*
I guess this is what I am called to endure right now.
*
Meanwhile,
I hope my insomnia will subside,
I hope the allergic reaction will continue to subside
and this past night
Mr. Husband and I watched
the first third of
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
that we talked about watching on our honeymoon
but never go to actually watching.
*
My yarn and needles came.
I now am knitting the dish cloth on circular needles
which is nice,
no more dropping stitches.
I got some longer needles too that I am
experimenting with and some new yarns;
soft, great colours.
*
The mercy of the Lord endures forever, hallelujah
is in my head,
a honestly wonderful song
I heard the other day again
on Ancient Faith Radio.
*
I am still dreaming of baking bread again
and a normal Saturday with Mr. Husband
with I in the kitchen frying up
potatoes in oil or butter
and enjoying my red flour and sugar pots
in my kitchen with sunlight pouring in.