4th & 5th day of Christmas

The above pictures were from day 4.

It was a day of various phone calls and rest...

it's a blessing that we have such nice food to eat

via our grocery delivery service; 

I just love the chicken and mashed potatoes! 

I had a 60% cocao one square sized treat from our

tower of sweets from Mr Husband's parents,

and it was so very enjoyable,

the best chocolate I've had this week I think.

We watched a Walton's episode again and

did prayers together, ... lots of rest and trying to recover.

On to day 5...

Day 5 was another good, quiet day.

I felt good when I awoke, the sun was shining brightly and it was only 8:30 

in the morning (I had been sleeping in till close to 10! the flu will do that!)

I felt so much better, I had hopes of doing a bit more that day.

I was able to do two things extra:

I lit all the livingroom lampadas and I collapsed many boxes that I no

longer had need of. 

I also ended up taking a nap in the afternoon, I was suddenly so tired

and I was actually more congested towards evening again.

We had enjoyable meals, I had I think 6 different types of tea!

(Green, black with chili and mango, African Autumn, Ginger Lemon and Gypsy Cold Care).

It was a real drink-all-the-teas day.

Actually between gifts I have been given, teas I have bought and teas I have

made mixes of, I do have a pretty large collection of teas.

It's fun and I love having so many choices also to offer others!

I also got a new teapot lid holder/drip catcher via amazon; so far so good!

We also watched another episode of the Walton's and I made extra popcorn

so I could have some tomorrow without the fuss of making it again.

We are enjoying the very last of the pate also.

I was able to a potluck spreadsheet for help

for my belated 40th birthday party 

and that is giving me something to look forward to

as we recover.

Mr Husband is seeing the doctor on Friday,

please pray for this.

He has a long way to go yet, longer than myself I fear.

I admit I was getting a bit stir crazy earlier today,

it's been over a week since I got sick,

I am gaining but slowly and I am not well enough really to leave the house

(esp as it was so cold) and it gets a bit 'cabin fever' but not too bad.

I find that taking pictures of my day and varying things

like what treat I get that day, what teas I want to have, what I am reading,

they bring a difference into the convalescence house-bound time.

My quilting-friend DV is coming Friday to keep me company

and help me with somethings 

while Mr Husband has his appointment.

So I am looking forward to this as well.

I am finding that if I focus my mind on thanksgiving for the 

many, many blessings I have, 

then I see how good it is right now

and what a blessing it is to be with my Husband

and how wonderful a piece of chocolate or a cup of tea is.

Well, time to rest again now.

I am thankful for day 4 and 5 of the 12 days of Christmas!

2nd &y 3rd day of Christmas

On the 2nd day of Christmas,

we had one chocolate treat each, opened gifts

and decided that we would have special reading times for

part of the 12 days of Christmas this year,

where we would just take time to companionably read together. 

I began reading the first story from 

Elizabeth Goudge's 

Icon on the Wall and it was wonderful.

She knew a surprising amount about Orthodoxy and

it's a lovely short story (the first one in the book).

The second part of the 3rd day of Christmas was hard 

but had blessings too, in small things.

I thought that Mr Husband sounded much too congested when he coughs,

so over breakfast we were companionably having,

I called the nurse. Then he talked to a doctor and had an appointment made

for that day.  So Mr Husband ended up in NYC for much of the day,

and is now on more meds and will find out more on Friday.

So that was all quite worrying.

The lovely parts of today were getting the silver plated silverware I ordered

a week ago, the picture has additional silver-plate flatware that we had from a rummage sale previously...I ordered the additional silverware before we got the flu, 

for what I hope will be my belated

birthday party.... in just under 2 weeks time... we will see about that...

other lovely parts were loving a new to me tea - Trader Joes chocolate mint 

flavoured tea; it was lovely...

and I had my favourite beef sandwhich from a local bistro delivered,

which I savoured over lunch and dinner...   

I also enjoyed 2 small Trader Joes hot chocolate cookies,

had decaf Christmas Chai and enjoyed using the Christmas Tree Spode China,

now that I have enough energy to hand-wash dishes again.... and tonight 

Mr Husband and I watched part of a Walton's episode! 

And tonight I finished

Elizabeth Goudge's short story 

The Ikon on the wall

such a good story and encouraging to me personally...

and I also was remembering these prayers,

which when I am all a flutter are about all I can focus on,

and these prayers brought this day to a peaceful close:

"“My dear,” he said, “love, your God, is a trinity. There are three necessary prayers and they have three words each. They are these, 

'Lord have mercy. 

Thee I adore. 

Into Thy hands.' 

Not difficult to remember. If in times of distress you hold to these you will do well.""

 ~From Elizabeth Goudge's the Scent of Water 

Christmas @ Home

Mr. Husband and I stayed home for Christmas because

of having the flu... 

so we watched the Christmas liturgy online,

Cleo often being with Mr Husband watching ;)

in two parts with a nap in-between,

had special takeout delivery,

got a surprise early morning gift of tea and 

Pate de Campagne,

had pots and pots of tea, noodles and Chicken broth,

triskets with the Pate, OJ and more tea...

We opened a few gifts,

my final installment of white gold rimmed plates came 

(for my DV delayed until after Theophany 40th birthday party),

and had a quiet day together...

***

I managed not to cry today, after doing so for the 2 days before,

I was so disappointed at missing Christmas liturgy and tomorrow,

the Church Christmas party...

***

I did not have a fever today though,

and Advil Cold and Sinus is worked wonders...

***

I hope I can get to sleep soon,

and feel OK tomorrow...

We plan on staying in tomorrow as well...

lots of rest and recovery needed...

***

I am thankful for all the love and prayers

that my family and friends have shown us...

***

Christ is born!

Glorify Him!

Flu for 2

I woke up with a fever of 100.2F, chilled and with 

some body aches; I knew before I took my temperature

that I must be feverish, as my legs esp. could not get warm. 

***

I am so thankful that I have a lot of layers of clothes,

so that I was able to get warm again.

I am also very thankful for the many cups of tea,

and esp. for my Husband who picked up my Tami-flu and

as well as over-the-counter meds.

***

I have managed to keep things clean, 

did 2 loads of laundry and dishes in the dishwasher.

We are for sure missing tomorrow's services 

and most likely will stay in all weekend.

***

It is what it is, as my Mom says

and God is with us. 

In-between

We are waiting to see if we are well enough

for Christmas this Saturday.

Mr Husband had a video consult and got on

Tamiflu, starting tonight.

I have some odd post-nasal drip + fatigue. 

I am hoping that I am not getting sick

and that Mr Husband will recover quickly.

We tried an new to us tea that is supposed to help;

not sure if it did, but I liked it.

***

I have so many teas, it's a real blessing...

***

I had so many plans for Christmas through later January.

I am hoping that none of them have to be derailed,

though some will be changed...

***

Thank you for your prayers;

please keep them coming!

***

One neat thing is that while we were in MI for 

Western Christmas, the message I got again and again

was about God's love.

So I am thinking about that and trying to rest 

and trust in God's deep love for us.

A happy memory remembered is twice the joy

One of the happy memories of my last night of being 39

was telling my Mom late at night that 

there was no where I would rather be,

to celebrate being 40 than right here with her.

I remember how she smiled at that...

prayer request

My Husband is unwell - chilled, scratchy throat, exhausted.

Our Christmas is this Saturday,

with Holy Supper Friday night and liturgy Friday morning.

He also has a lot of pressure at work, so he 

is in need of extra prayers.

Please pray for me also that I don't fall sick

and can be there for him!

Thanks!!!

***

(Picture from this evening's dinner - 

I made the vegan soup again, had salad, clementines and 

warm bread waiting for my Husband as he

cabbed home from work, 

exhausted...)

Remembering my birthday

I had such a lovely birthday today.

I went to my Aunt H's house with my Mom,

A and M, my cousins, were there as well.

They all gave me unexpected birthday presents! 

And we had a nice lunch and talks 

and lots of laughs too.

I got pictures of me with my Mom, my Aunt H,

my cousins; ... we went to the thrift store afterwards

and I found a beautiful Christmas green table cloth,

some lovely green napkins and some red ones too!

(And I found 5 red ones the day before with Mr Husband!)

I think I will have enough for the big party I am doing for my 40th

belated in later January

(with the fast still going on + Christmas Jan 7th + Theophany, I decided to 

delay it until just after Theophany). 

and now I have enough linens to go with the dishes, etc! 

***

My Mom and I drove to Trader Joes while the snow fell...

***

Afterwards, we went home and soon my Dad got my Grandma,

my Sister came over, and later my Brother, my Aunt and Uncle... 

we have a lovely dinner!

Brown rice, Salmon (fish day for my birthday!), salad, vegan biscuits,

vegan cinnamon rolls and flowering tea.

***

I got pictures with everyone for my birthday.

I was blessed with cards, lots of Internet greetings, 3 phone calls

(my Aunt J left a message, my Aunt P I talked to, my friend C left a message)

and I got some really thoughtful gifts.

It was a really lovely day and I am very thankful.