Stage Two: Back at Church

June Journaling

1.    First trip to Costco in three months. It wasn’t too bad.

2.    The province is beginning to open up again in stages after three months; but people are tired of it and are getting sloppy. The weather is warmer and they want to start taking advantage of the outdoors. My husband has seven weeks of vacation this year, and nowhere to go.

3.    Today my husband is 22 years cancer-free. It’s an anniversary we never tire of celebrating.

4.    Every store you go to, everyone is wearing a mask.

5.    My attempt at meal planning. All we do is eat. We’ll see how closely we stick to it. I have freezers full of food we need to eat. 

6.    My husband is staining our cedar deck.

7.    COVID-19 week 12 Church service online. I can’t believe we’ve been away from church for three months.

8.    My husband took the day off work to finish staining the deck. I’m writing.

9.    Grocery shopping; homemade pizza.

10. Errands, podcast, dinner and virtual prayer meeting. After three months away from church, our Premier just announced places of worship can reopen, but we’re taking a slow and cautious approach because of the vulnerable people in our congregation. Great news to hear of the conversion of the sister of one of our members in Venezuela, who has brain cancer.

11. I was going to say, another day at home, writing. You know you have a chronic illness when there’s a global pandemic and your life barely changes.

12. Fridays we don’t cook, we order through SkipTheDishes and support local businesses.

13. Cleaning day. My husband went to hug his mom since restrictions are easing now, slowly. We are in stage two.

14. Last day of virtual church; COVID week 13, plus the Lord’s Supper. We start back next week slowly, with only 30% capacity; and many are too nervous to come back yet. Understandable, but because my husband is an elder, we’ll be there.

15. It’s been a year since my book launch party.

16. Pain clinic.

17. It’s my husband’s birthday. Our grandkids are coming over for the night. It’s our newest granddaughter’s first visit. We got a new bbq. My husband made steak, salmon, shrimp, grilled veggies, or rather, I prepped them and he cooked them. Also a chocolate cake.

18. Our region has moved to stage two of reopening. My granddaughter made a coronavirus. A vaccine can't be far behind. See the picture.

19. We went and had dinner at an outdoor patio. Such a beautiful sunny day.

20. My hair is so long. I was able to get an appointment for a haircut for next Friday. So excited. Canning some vegetables; organic baby carrots, green beans, and beets.

21. Our first time back at church after three months away; COVID week 14 only about 40 people, with physical distancing, masks, no singing, no socializing except out on the grass far apart, and no snacks. But so nice to hear live preaching and see people again.

22. Finishing up the book of Genesis for my podcast. I’m loving seeing new connections between Joseph and Jesus.

23. Meal planning is going well.

24. Toronto moved into stage two.

25. Visited the grandkids today with my mom.

26. First haircut in four months.  I feel like a human again. Out for dinner to an Italian restaurant patio.

27. Our new shed is assembled and my husband moved all the stuff out of the garage and was able to park both cars in there for the first time in ten years. He’s so excited.

28. Second week back at church, COVID week 15. Roast beef dinner.

29. We booked a cottage in northern Ontario with our daughter’s family for a week in July.

30. Our younger daughter is coming home this weekend from Ottawa, first time in months. She got a new job as a lawyer in Ottawa, starting as soon as her current one ends in July. It is permanent, but that’s not the norm, usually just contracts, but they told her they really want her on their team. She’ll be working for the Justice Department with Veterans Affairs.