Mom is 84!

 

March Journaling

1.     Went to dinner at John and Esther’s and to encourage each other after a tough week at church. Had butter chicken and played cards.

2.     Working on my lesson for this week about the ten commandments. Then the following week is March break so I’m off.

3.     Church.

4.     Chiro and massage. VBS meeting. I’ll be doing snacks again.

5.     Crocheted a silly goose, a mouse, a bunny, and a donut bear.

6.     Crocheted a leggy froggy. Prayer meeting.

7.     Taught my class, then went downtown for dinner and our seminary course on Romans. More drama at church. The elders have spent sooooo much time on these issues.

8.     The grandkids are coming for three nights. It is March break.

9.     The situation at church imploded, but things should get calmer afterwards.

10. Church, minus two couples.

11. Made a big frog, a pink and a grey mini whale, a clown fish, and a light green snake.

12. Made a reversible octopus and a teal-coloured mini whale. Working on my podcast; I am not teaching this week because of March break.

13. My aunt in London has bone cancer. She is 79. My mom went for an abdominal ultrasound. Her doctor wants to see her on Thursday to discuss the results of it and her bloodwork. I’m concerned. She may have gallstones or something worse.

14. Prayer meeting was incredible. Four times the number of people as a week ago and such peace and great fellowship. Same as Sunday.

15. Went to the doctor with my mom. No gallstones but her liver needs more investigation, bloodwork repeated. Downtown for our course.

16. Getting all the paperwork together for the accountant to do our taxes. So tedious. I hate doing it….but it’s necessary so we get our money.

17. At church for a joint men’s and women’s ministry breakfast. Also packing blessing bags for the unhoused.

18. Finishing up paperwork for taxes and to sign my mom up for the free government dental care plan. Crocheted an orange and black striped snake for my grandson and made five cute oysters. My youngest granddaughter wants all of them. Annual general meeting tonight. It went well.

19. Telephone appointment with my mom’s doctor. Her liver bloodwork was normal, but her ultrasound showed some coarse texture but no cirrhosis, fatty liver, or lesions. She will be referred to a liver specialist anyway. Crocheting. Made a little hen, a donut buddy snowman and a mini blueberry. I want to make some small items to add to keychains or hooks for backpacks.

20. Dentist. Prayer meeting.

21. Watched the first half of the Ten commandments movie. Downtown for a course.

22. Dropped off our taxes and ran some other errands.

23. Went to a seminar at church on finances.

24. Church, then my husband counselled a friend who is having marriage trouble. Made a few brown chickens, a chicken nugget keychain, and some water bottle holders. One is for my mom’s birthday.

25. Making the final payment on our upcoming trip. Made a yellow and black striped snake, a pink chicken, a grey hippo, another blueberry keychain.

26. Housekeeper. I had forgotten, so had to scramble to tidy up. Booking appointments for my mom, working on a message for an upcoming women’s meeting at another church, and working on my podcast message. I’m at Joshua chapter twelve.

27. It’s my mom’s 84^th birthday; so glad she’s still with us and fairly independent. Heard today that our friend Esther, who we travel with has cancer. So shocked.

28. Our Romans course. My husband was off this week writing his paper. We drove downtown and had dinner at our usual place, The Blake House.

29. Good Friday. We’re having a joint service with the Mandarin church plant.

30. Crocheting like crazy. A baby seal, a koala donut buddy, a gator, chicken nuggets, oranges, a watermelon slice, a red hen and a giant white hen. And two mini whales.

31. Resurrection Sunday. Christ is risen!

 

February Journaling

1.     Our first grandchild, Benny is nine today. I know it is cliché to say time flies but it really does. He is the sweetest boy.

2.     So busy; helping with the AGAPE Gala seating plan and appetizers. Editing some papers for my husband and our pastor, keeping up with my podcast and Bible class, learning amigurumi patterns, taking a seminary course, running a household, going to medical appointments for me and my mom, and helping out with the grandkids when I can. All while fitting in a daily nap so I can keep going.

3.     Ordered some safety eyes for my amigurumi projects, along with some chenille soft yarn for plushies.

4.     Church. Something’s brewing.

5.     So busy. Someone sent a paper for me to edit; it is 23 pages. I sell myself short and only charge $1 per page, but it takes a long time, for some more than others if English isn’t their first language.

6.     Making the seating plan, almost done. We have room for 66, we’re at 62 confirmed. Crocheted a little cow.

7.     Crocheted a leggy froggy. So cute.

8.     Our granddaughter is seven today. At our Bible study today the ladies gave me a nice thank you card and $150 I was so surprised. I went and bought yarn, because, you know, addictions. Doing the Romans course from home tonight because Esther is sick.

9.     Crocheted a medium sized plushie turtle.

10. Crocheted a mini stingray.

11. Church. My husband preached in the evening. Steak for dinner.

12. Writing day. Chicken noodle soup for dinner.

13. Yesterday I made more amigurumi: another manta ray, a mini dino, and a little duck. I also started an elephant.

14. Started a crab and made another leggy froggy. Valentines Day. Prayer meeting.

15. Taught this morning on the song of Moses and manna. We did our course online because of the snow. People in Toronto have no clue how to drive in snow, speaking as a northern Ontario girl.

16. Our pain clinic appointment got cancelled. The grandkids and parents came by on their way to a friend’s farm for Family Day weekend. I made them dinner. I was excited to show the kids the amigurumi toys I made. Of course they wanted them all.

17. Catch up day.

18. Church then out for lunch with a new couple and our travel buddies. No evening service.

19. Our daughter returned from her two week trip to Costa Rica engaged! It is Family Day.

20. Pain clinic. I made an elephant, a few clams, another leggy froggy, a crab, a mini octopus, a donut animal-elephant and a chick.

21. Prayer meeting. Going to H-town tomorrow for an overnight.

22. Made a mini blue whale, a chameleon, and a pink octopus.

23. Home from H-town. My cousin and his wife are in town so we went out for dinner with them.

24. Quiet day at home preparing my lesson for this week. Finished crocheting my grandson’s dinosaur. Started a donut animal Scottish cow.

25. Church. There’s trouble brewing.

26. Want to book our trip in May. For my 60^th birthday we will go to Curacao with our travel buddies John and Esther to an all-inclusive resort.

27. Housekeeper, doctor’s appointment with my mom.

28. Dental appointment with my mom; it’s my first time at my new dentist, who goes to our church.

29. A meeting at church with the elders and the people who are stirring up trouble. Praying for unity, repentance, and reconciliation, but if not, there will need to be discipline.

Worry Worms

 

January Journaling

1.     Started the new year with a mimosa. Quiet evening last night, which is how I like it. Cooked and baked ahead.

2.     Cleaned out some closets and brought stuff to value village. Undecorated from Christmas. My husband is sick and will work from home; he wants to get better before the grandkids come on the weekend.

3.     Chiro and massage.

4.     Ordered our photo book from the previous year.

5.     My mom has a dental appointment then I’m driving out to pick up the grandkids for the weekend.

6.     Busy day for the kids, Finnish pancakes for breakfast, kids’ shows, shopping for fishing lures, a long hike to tire them out, building forts in the basement, grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, smelts and scalloped potatoes and carrots for dinner, and a sauna in the evening. That always tires them out.

7.     Church with the grandkids with us. Our daughter and son-in-law came for lunch and to pick up the kids. I made ribs, baked sweet potatoes, and salad for lunch. Church in the evening.

8.     I baked a cinnamon loaf with the leftover sweet potatoes. It was so-so.

9.     Bought a new fire-proof box for important documents. The fire on the deck this past summer has made us nervous. Also our toaster oven caught fire the other day, so after two toaster ovens we opted for a regular toaster again. Writing.

10. Prayer meeting. Crocheting so many scarves, usually one per evening. I gave away many at Christmas and these will be for women in my Bible study class.

11. In the new year I started Finnish lessons with duolingo to improve my vocabulary and grammar.

12. Our photo book arrived. I like it but I wish they would let me choose my favourite pictures.

13. Baking for tomorrow at church. Got my hair highlighted.

14. Church. Paid for our course at seminary starting this week. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, and corn.

15. Writing; I’m far behind on my podcast episodes.

16. Crocheting, laundry, cooking, writing, Finnish lesson.

17. Writing. Prayer meeting. Baking a cake for our class on Thursday.

18. Taught my class and then gave out some scarves and ear warmers I made for them. Nap, then went downtown to have dinner at a restaurant and then we had our first course on Romans. The cookies and cake were a hit along with timbits and coffee.

19. Posted a podcast after a long while. It seems to be taking me longer to write each episode. Goin out for dinner with friends. He was the best man at our wedding. They live a few blocks away yet we only see each other maybe once a year. At least we stay caught up with them through facebook.

20. Our daughter and grandkids are coming over for the day. We had a good day.

21. Church.

22. Home day; writing and crocheting and tidying up.

23. Housekeeper. Attending a doctor’s appointment with my mom.

24. Went to Hamilton because the daycare for the youngest is closed today. Picked up the others from school and made dinner, babysat while the parents got a break to themselves, and slept over.

25. Dropped off the kids at school and drove home to an appointment with my mom but it was canceled and she didn’t get the message, so I could have taught today after all. Romans course downtown tonight.

26. I’m so proud of myself. I wanted to learn how to make amigurumi, which are crocheted stuffed toys. Two nights ago I watched a youtube video and made a little yellow octopus, then a grey, purple, and blue one. Now I’m hooked and want to make all kinds. The grandkids want them all of course. I made them worry worms. I’ll post pictures.

27. Women’s meeting this morning.

28. Church, then lunch at a friend’s house to try out the sample menu for the upcoming Agape Gala.

29. Laundry, writing, crocheting.

30. Another day at home, I’ve been keeping up with daily Finnish lessons on duolingo. I had one day when I was in first place.

31. Planned for the women’s retreat speaker, they wanted the same one as last year, and she was happy to come.