Parcel to Uganda

 

January Journaling

1.    Happy New Year! Let’s hope we can move past the pandemic this year.

2.    Covid week 93! And so it continues.

3.    My husband has one more day off. I got some very messy rooms tidied up.

4.    Taking my mom in for a doctor’s appointment. She got her Covid booster.

5.    Grandkids are coming for three nights so our daughter and her husband can get away for a delayed anniversary trip. Nine years already. My mom had an in-home assessment for home oxygen. She doesn’t need it anymore in my opinion; only when her hgb was so low. Now she’s better. My husband got his Covid booster.

6.    Lots of crafts, outside time, and a sauna. They’ll sleep well tonight.

7.    Back to a quiet house, but we miss them already.

8.    Men’s meeting. Writing. My mom bought a personal percussion massager. It’s like the thumper my chiropractor uses which I love. It is so amazing, I actually woke up the next morning without back pain. Our brand is called Rebel Pro.

9.    Covid week 94! Back to evening services.

10. Sent my first parcel to Uganda. I’m so excited for them to get it. I sent it by Canada Post. If it works well, then I’ll send more.

11. Shopping for the next parcel. I bought dozens of pairs of underwear of all sizes for my 60 ‘grandchildren’. Back to the pain clinic for back injections.

12. Getting my Covid booster today. That’s three then for all of us in the house. My mom and grandson had no reaction. My husband and daughters did.

13. Back to Women’s Bible studies. Doing it online for now. I’ve had such a busy two months with my mom’s health issues, so many appointments and tests, I’ve fallen behind in my writing. So I re-recorded the book of Job because Genesis and Job were originally recorded before I got my headset and microphone. So that has allowed me some breathing space. I may re-record Genesis as well, I only have to update them with Scarlet Threads, which is not as much work as re-writing everything. So far so good with my booster; no side effects.

14. My husband will take another course this winter for his Master’s program at Toronto Baptist Seminary. I will join in but will only audit again, since I don’t have time for writing papers.

15. Frustrated to be so far behind in writing.

16. Smart people are buying snow blowers to prepare for this big storm. I did not buy one. I am not smart. Church Covid week 95.

17. Snow storm so my mom’s CT scans need to be rescheduled. I shovelled half the driveway even though it’s still snowing, because then at least half of it will be a little lighter. Northern thinking. It was supposed to be the kids’ return to school after an extended Christmas break because of Covid and the first day is a snow day. My husband’s windshield cracked on his car as he drove in to work. It took hours for him to get home and since the streets aren’t plowed yet he parked at a nearby plaza and walked home.

18. So sore from shoveling yesterday.

19. Managed to get my mom’s CT scans rebooked for today, so the results will be in before her follow-up appointment with the ER doctor next week.

20. Women’s Bible study, on Mark 15. Amazed at the crucifixion account. Then the course started on Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon for me and my husband. More shoveling for my husband because the plow came back to get closer to the curb. Now it’s the heavy stuff.

21. Took my mom to get cortisone shots to her hips, and then for bloodwork.

22. Women’s ministry online. I shared about projects started during Covid; the orphans in Uganda and my podcast. Also a telephone appointment with my mom’s doctor.

23. Church Covid week 96.

24. Chiro and massage. I’m furious. The parcel I mailed to Uganda arrived, it took two weeks, which is reasonable. I paid no tax on it in Canada as it is a gift (for orphans). But when David went to pick it up he paid the $2.50 fee and they gave him a receipt. But then they sent him to another place to pay “tax” on it. They said he could only get it when he paid them the equivalent of $250 Canadian. Since when were taxes demanded in foreign currency? They wouldn’t invoice him or tell him how the taxes were calculated. !00% of the postal fee is how. Then he told them he didn’t have it. So he had to leave it with them. They had also opened it and rummaged through it. I hope everything is still there. This means the postal service of Uganda is complicit in the extortion and they are expecting a share of it too since they knowingly sent him to this other place. Such corruption. Such injustice. And no recourse. So I sent another $300 Canadian which is over $400 U.S. which I didn’t have. This is an expensive lesson to learn. I just want him to get it since it came that far. From now on we will use a courier that he knows doesn’t do this.

25. Dental appointment.

26. Another doctor’s appointment for my mom; but at least it’s only a phone call.

27. Women’s Bible study; last chapter of the gospel of Mark. Another doctor’s appointment for my mom.

28. Busy week; although I’d love to take this one day to catch up on my writing and podcast recording, I have a few errands to run.

29. The older grandkids’ birthdays are coming up and my daughter is hesitant to see us in person as she fears somehow passing Covid on to my elderly mom, even though we’ve seen each other all along for two years. Ben will be seven on the first and Robin five on the eighth. Then she can get her Covid vaccine which Ben already got.

30.Church Covid week 97. They got the parcel finally in Uganda. So great to see their smiling faces and David loved his study Bible. I also sent two copies of my book. We had so many just sitting on our shelves. It was brand new.

31. Got my Botox today but the temporary doctor just doesn’t give me as much as my regular doctor who has been suspended almost a year ago for failing to wear a mask and so it doesn’t control my TMJ pain as well. Sigh.

Goodbye 2021!

 

December Journaling

1.    So excited that God has blessed us so much so that we can share with those orphans in Uganda. It’s nice to have the personal contact and see the faces of the children who receive the help.

2.    My mom wants to help the orphans too, so we sent more. They need to buy mosquito nets because malaria is a big problem. They cost $5 each.

3.    They were able to buy shoes (crocs and sandals), toothbrushes and toothpaste, food, and mosquito nets.

4.    Went to Hamilton to watch the kids so our daughter and son-in-law could go to help out at the kids’ school fundraising bazaar. My husband took our grandson to soccer lessons. The kids has got some skills.

5.    Church Covid week 89.

6.    Today is Finland’s Independence Day from Russia. They got out in 1917, just before the Revolution.

7.    My mom and I have an in-person Doctor’s appointment with our family doctor. I always feel a little stressed because some days she’s reasonable and other days she’s difficult. I never know what we’ll get. She was reasonable and increased my mom’s pain medication for a month as a trial.

8.    Went to Hamilton. My mom had a bad day; felt nauseous all day, didn’t eat, was tired, wanted to go home. I think it’s the last time she goes with me. She’ll see them when they come to us. It took so much out of her, she was short of breath in the evening.

9.    My mom is still recovering. She slept all night and part of the day. Ladies’ Bible study this morning. One more before the Christmas break. Ran some errands and napped. Exhausted myself. Our final class tonight on Christian Foundations course.

10. Going out for dinner at an Italian restaurant.

11. Thinking of sending a parcel of gifts to Uganda too, instead of just money. He cares for 60 children: 35 boys and 25 girls. So right now I’m collecting 60 toothbrushes with covers, among other things. I went to Canadian Tire and bought tarps, and twine, a soccer ball and pump, and a water purifier and jug. The thing I like best about it is being the answer to a prayer. God has blessed us beyond measure, and He has put this particular ministry on my heart.

12. Covid week 90. Staying home from church because of sniffles.

13. Chiropractor appointment. My mom has been sick for five days now.

14. I spoke with the doctor and she wants my mom to get a covid test even though she’s double vaxxed and hasn’t been exposed as far as we know, but just because she has been so sleepy all week. She ordered a stronger anti-emetic.

15. My mom’s nausea is better and she is keeping chicken broth down. But she is so weak from not eating all week that I went and bought her a commode chair for her bedside so she doesn’t have to fear falling on the way to the washroom at night. The covid test was done at home and sent off; now we wait. Tell me why it never crossed my mind that it could be covid, since we’re in a global pandemic with a variant (omicron) that they think is airborne? Her main symptoms were nausea and vomiting and fatigue. More like severe exhaustion. She went from independent to bedridden. I’m so clueless sometimes.

16. Final Women’s Bible study till the New Year.

17. My mom is negative for Covid but what is causing this nausea vomiting and exhaustion? We called an ambulance for my mom today because her oxygen and bp were so low. I was with her for eight hours. They discovered her hemoglobin was 45 (normal is 120-180) and she is in kidney failure. The kidney failure is the cause of the anemia. They gave her three units of blood and she will be seen by medicine in the morning and admitted.

18. Still in E.R. getting confused and hallucinating but she seems to be aware that she is. It is likely withdrawl symptoms from the opioids. Had an endoscopy, chest x-ray, ecg. Fasting for a colonoscopy to check if there is a source for her bleeding.

19. Still in E.R. more confused but doesn’t know she is confused. Her blood pressure and oxygen are up. But her hgb is still low. I went in and gave her a bed bath and seeing me seemed to improve her situation. But I’m mad that they stopped her pain medication completely. To go from 5 oxy per day to none is cruel for someone in chronic pain.

20. They transferred my mom to a medical unit. She should be less confused now. They also finally did her colonoscopy. She has colour on her face.

21. Getting a cold. Surprisingly, my mom has had no pain without her narcotics for a few days. It’s a Christmas miracle. She is not confused, and said, “I guess I was telling stories.” She is making jokes. The plan is for her to come home on the 23^rd, before Christmas, all things being equal. Bought the groceries for Christmas.

22. Cleaning, errands, and pill prep. I’ve got my mom’s place all aired out and cleaned; washed all her sheets and blankets.

23. The plan is for my mom to be discharged home today; but now they’re talking about an abdominal ultrasound. I’d rather they did it later if needed. We just want her home. Also, the kids are coming to stay for two nights. Yay!

24. Hauskaa Joulua! My eldest daughter learned the song Finlandia in Finnish, then went to a recording studio and recorded herself singing it. She made it into a CD and gave it to my mom for Christmas. So many tears. It was so powerful and such a thoughtful gift. We had Finnish Christmas at my sister’s house.

25. Today we had Jamaican Christmas at my mother-in-law’s house. Since she retired from nursing she has learned to play the ukulele and today she played Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen while my sister-in-law sang.

26. My mom is getting stronger, but I bought some iron pills for her because they sent her home from hospital without them even though her diagnosis was anemia and her hgb was still only 77 on discharge. Her creatinine (kidney function) went from 346 to 152, which is still high but much better.

27. Spent most of the day cleaning out the mess that is my writing room.

28. Our youngest daughter is returning to Ottawa today. My husband is helping his sister with things around her house.

29. I don’t mind nursing my mom, I still remember how to do that, but it’s the secretarial stuff I hate, organizing all the tests and appointments, so many. And I’m on hold most of the time.

30. It’s been two years since I started my podcast, Bible Companion Series. Not many followers but about 750-1,000 listens per month, so that’s something. My main countries are Canada, U.S., the Netherlands, and Germany. Occasionally, Australia. Heading into Scarborough for my mom’s x-rays and Covid booster shot.

31. Another year over. Omicron variant is causing over 10,000 cases per day in Ontario.

Ugandan orphans

 

November Journaling

1.    Not going to Hamilton this week. See Oct. 31 for the reason.

2.    Furnace maintenance.

3.    Attending a cardiologist appointment with my mom; we were gone five hours. It’s the seminary open house in the evening, so I sat in on a class on Biblical Theology; I love it and would have taken it except Wednesday nights are prayer meeting night. Long day, no nap.

4.    Bible study in a.m. Course in the evening online.

5.    I have done over 200 podcasts on the Bible Companion Series. But I still haven’t figured out how to make intro and outro music. I’m so not technical. Then I’m also trying to re-record the first 80 or so podcasts since it was before I got my headset microphone so the quality is very poor. Embarrassing.

6.    Quiet weekend after a busy week, and another one to come.

7.    Church Covid week 85.

8.    Preparing a care package for a single female missionary our church supports from the ladies at our church.

9.    I had a zoom meeting with a book club/Bible study group from my sister-in-law’s church in Bracebridge. They are reading my novel, Benaiah Mighty Man of God along with the applicable portions of Scripture. I answered their questions. It was fun. Then our daughter and grandkids came to stay over for two nights. Their school is still closed due to 13 cases of Covid. Hopefully now they will be more diligent with masking and distancing there.

10. We drove to the Big Apple with the grandkids but most things were closed. The kids had a sauna. This was the first time here since the baby started walking. Now she’s trying to climb stairs.

11. Remembrance Day. Also back to our course tonight.

12. Attending an online virtual gala for a pregnancy help centre that our daughter used to work at. Online auction.

13. Going to London for a family Christmas party.

14. My husband lost his wedding ring sometime between last night and this evening. It’s been loose since he lost weight and in September it fell off in the pool in London, but they found it right away. We called the gas station we stopped at to see if maybe it fell off when he washed his hands but no one turned it in. If someone found it, they may have pocketed it to pawn it for $500. It was purchased for $100 35 years ago. It’s mostly the sentimental value. It’s engraved with my name and our wedding date. He’s more upset than I am. He feels he should have had it sized since he knew it was loose. COVID week 86, no church for us.

15. Updated my non-practicing R.N. licence. At least it’s only 1/3 of practicing nurses. I can’t believe I’ve been off work seven years this Christmas.

16. A writing day.

17. Prayer meeting, my husband is the speaker.

18. Women’s Bible Study, through 11/16 chapters of Mark. Our course online in the evening.

19. Ordered in because it’s Friday.

20. Women’s ministry meeting; I shared about Finnish Christmas traditions. I’ll post what I said.

21. Our youngest granddaughter’s dedication service is this morning so we went to their church in Hamilton. Covid week 87.

22. Writing.

23. Going to Hamilton because my daughter is going to a recording studio to sing Finlandia in Finnish as a Christmas gift to my mom. So sweet of her.

24. Making mini meatballs for Italian wedding soup this weekend. Prayer meeting online.

25. Someone at church has Covid so we will meet online this morning. My husband and I went for our first Covid test and were both negative, yay! It was the antigen test so it wasn’t as invasive.

26. Our eldest daughter is 31 today. Hard to believe.

27. My daughter and grandkids, sister and her granddaughter are coming over to bake Finnish gingersnaps today.

28. Covid week 88.

29. Spoke with my mom’s lung doctor on the phone. Will buy an oximeter.

30. Pain clinic for back injections. Today on Giving Tuesday I know there is no shortage of worthwhile ministries to support. However, I have recently discovered an organization in Uganda that cares for destitute orphans. David William, who grew up as an orphan himself, but was cared for and learned to read, has taken it upon himself and a friend to take in 45 orphans. These kids are truly destitute; they have no shelter from the elements, few blankets, little food, and a dirty pond in which they wash and from which they drink. The little I was able to send purchased some food and toothbrushes and toothpaste as they only had sticks to brush their teeth and were getting toothaches. They are not a registered charity yet but they are a recognized non-profit organization by the government of Uganda. If you take a look at their pictures on Instagram @  agape_heartilysouls or their website https://heartilysouls.org you can see the sweet faces of these children. They will greet you personally. You can donate directly through their website.

 

 

October Journaling

1.    Reading the Bible with my mom. She gets frustrated very easily with it since English isn’t her first language and the names aren’t much easier in Finnish.

2.    The man who was Best Man at our wedding is turning 60 today, so the men are going go-karting; and they’re calling it an Old Man Grand Prix. Then we’re meeting at their house afterwards for a meal. We all sat around talking about our grandchildren or our aches and pains.

3.    Church Covid week 80.

4.    Chiro and massage.

5.    We’re supposed to go to H-town tomorrow to help my daughter out but two of the grandkids are sick, and we’ll see them on the weekend anyway.

6.    It’s my son-in-law’s birthday. I got him a mug that says, Living with a Finn builds character. He’s officially not an ‘outsider’ now.

7.    Prepping, cleaning, cooking, shopping, baking. Busy day.

8.    My husband took today off so we can finish as much as possible.

9.    Hosting 24 family members for Thanksgiving. We’re all double vaxxed, so should be fine. First holiday in almost two years.

10. Church Covid week 81. No evening service. So much leftovers, clean up and laundry.

11. More cleaning.

12. It’s our daughter and on-in-law’s 9^th wedding anniversary. Eye appointment for me.

13. Helping out in Hamilton. The grandkids helped me prep six boxes for Samaritan’s Purse Christmas boxes.

14. Bible study. Online course tonight.

15. My husband took today off because he’s exhausted. I am writing. Our youngest granddaughter is sick. Poor thing.

16. Missions’ week kick-off at church today.

17. Covid week 82.

18. Dental appointment.

19. Our youngest granddaughter had a nasty reaction to penicillin; fever, hives all over, swollen face and irritability. It lasted almost a week. Me and my mom got our flu shots today. Body aches.

20. Helping out in Hamilton. Our granddaughter’s rash is much better now, just on a few places now.

21. Bible study.

22. Ordered in because it’s Friday.

23. Virtual women’s ministry meeting speaking to a young female missionary in Ireland.

24. Church Covid week 83.

25. Writing day. Breakfast for dinner. Don’t judge me.

26. Pain clinic number one. Our granddaughter started walking today! At 18 months and five days old.

27. Pain clinic number two.

28. Bible study in the morning, but no class this evening because it’s reading week.

29. Taking my car in to get my winter tires on and regular fall maintenance. My husband took the day off to give me a ride, and to work on a paper for our course. Since I’m only auditing it (I took it for credit 30 years ago), I don’t have to write papers or exams. All the benefit of a course with none of the work, and also the cost is significantly lower. We went out for dinner and I was sick when we returned home, but I don’t think it’s food poisoning since my mom ate the same thing. It could be squid ink since the spaghetti was black. I’ll call for the ingredients.

30. Writing, cleaning. The grandkids saw Niagara Falls for the first time.

31. Reformation Sunday and Covid week 84. Our grandkids’ school is closing for ten days because of a few cases in the older grades. The kids tested negative as did the whole family but because this school isn’t good about enforcing masking or distancing, they are considered close contacts, so they also have to self-isolate; at least the kids do since they’re not vaccinated yet. So that means we can’t go to school this week and they can’t go trick or treating, which made them sad. But they watched movies and ate candy. They are getting used to plans having to be changed so they are developing resiliency.

My mom is saved!

 

September Journaling

1.    Chiro and massage. Back to in-person prayer meeting.

2.    First trip to Costco in some time. Also got a haircut.

3.    Getting ready to go to London tomorrow. Our daughter is coming here from Ottawa.

4.    Went to London. Great to see family again, especially my cousin with lung cancer who is doing so well; even her voice is back to normal and they told her it wouldn’t do that. Also the kids learned to swim. They were in the pool the whole day. COVID week 76 but no church today since we’re out of town.

5.    Driving back home. I’ll post some pictures.

6.    Our daughter went back to Ottawa. The last day of my husband’s summer vacation. Writing and recording my podcasts; Bible Companion Series by P.H. Thompson. At 187 already; all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Job, and most of Numbers.

7.    First day of grade one for Benny and JK for Robin. My daughter is so excited to have just one kid at home. Robin is in just three days a week. They’re still in private Christian school. They considered public school but just couldn’t do it. So we’re helping with costs because it matters to us, too. We did the same with our kids. You spend your money on things that matter to you.

8.    Going to Hamilton to help out, also to pick up my mom who is returning from London. She stayed a few extra days. They are bringing her there; Hamilton is the halfway point.

9.     Back to Women’s Bible Study in person and online.

10. Writing day.

11. My husband is at a men’s church retreat. Things are opening up again. Watching 9-11 documentaries.

12. COVID week 77. We had a guest speaker since the Pastor is at the retreat.

13. Voted early in the federal election. We’ll see if it makes a difference or if Trudeau will get back in again. He’s threatened to remove the charitable status of crisis pregnancy centres stating they are giving misleading information. But that is a misrepresentation, as the CCCC makes sure they are a legitimate charity teaching facts. It’s the groups like Planned Parenthood that ignore science, tell the woman their baby is just a clump of cells while they sell off their organs. He claims to be pro-choice but he is taking away the choice for a woman to keep her baby and get the support only provided in those places.

14. My mom was saved today! But so many times when I would bring it up she’d put up a wall or say she’s been thinking about it. Her health isn’t good and I’ve been fearing one day going downstairs and it would be too late. It’s been a burden on my heart for some time. I speak Finnish but I don’t know Bible words so I’ve been looking them up so I’d be able to pray with her in her heart language. Then I’ve been praying for an opportunity and finally on Tuesday morning I showed her Psalm 90:10 in Finnish and we were talking about death and I told her how amazing it is to know your sins are forgiven and you don’t need to fear death. Then I said, “You said you’ve thought about it before. What’s holding you back? Do you feel too good to be saved, or too bad, or you don’t you know what to say?” She said she had a lot of guilt. I told her God already knows but everything can be forgiven.
I even challenged her to try it and see. If God doesn’t forgive her she can dismiss it but He will because He’s real. Then we prayed. Afterwards she asked why God would send His Son to die. I told her John 3:16 because He loved the world and Romans 6:23 it’s a gift. Then I told her I could read the Bible with her daily and explain it and answer any questions. She liked that.
But I still couldn’t believe it was real and thought in the morning she’d say she didn’t mean it. But instead she said she cried every time she thought of it. I said it’s ok to feel things. You don’t have to be a stoic Finn. She told Gary she still had a hard time forgiving herself. It’s amazing that we can pray and still be surprised when God answers prayer. It encourages me to keep praying for others because as long as there’s life there’s hope.

15. I shared about my mom’s conversion with the church at prayer meeting online. Such things are encouragements to everyone with unsaved loved ones.

16. I still can’t believe I’m reading the Bible with my mom at her request. We read John 8 and Luke 15. I never thought this would happen. Such little faith.

17. Our granddaughter started her gymnastics classes. My husband and I started a seminary class on Christian Foundations. I’m auditing it because I took it for credit thirty years ago when I was pregnant with my first daughter. It was very different then, now it’s an intro to systematic theology. My husband is taking it for credit.

18. My grandson (6), lost his first tooth. He has started soccer lessons.

19. COVID week 78. We’re back to in-person evening services after 18 months.

20. Writing day.

21. Pain clinic for back injections.

22. Spending the day in Hamilton with the grandkids; well 2/3 are home today.

23. Our daughter came home from Ottawa because she’s in a wedding.

24. Semi-annual mammogram. Not as painful as usual, mostly because of iodine tablets.

25. Reading and writing; no arithmetic.

26. Dropped our daughter off to catch a train back to Ottawa. COVID week 79. Excellent preaching.

27. Planting some tulip bulbs for spring.

28. Dropping off some diapers for missionaries who just had a new baby.

29. We’ll be hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year; 24 people. Beginning to plan my menu. Went to church in person for prayer meeting.

30. Today is the first official Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which they’ve made into an official holiday. Also going in to teach Bible Study in person.

Buried Treasure

August Journaling

1.    Covid week 71, watched church online. My husband still has another week off work.

2.    Heard our daughter will be coming home on the weekend for a wedding.

3.    I’m annoyed with my disability pension company. My payment which usually comes in on the 27^th still isn’t in. I had to wait over the long weekend to call them and they said it would be in tomorrow. I have bills to pay.

4.    Still no pay. Annoying. My mom is returning home after spending ten days in London with my aunt while we were away.

5.    Visiting the grandkids since my husband is still off. We went to the war plane museum and had a picnic lunch. The kids got to sit in a plane. I’ll post a picture. Our four year old granddaughter said she wants to be a pilot when she grows up and will take us wherever we want to go. Then we ordered in. Our other daughter arrived this evening by train. It’s way cheaper than renting a car and she’s double-vaxed.

6.    My disability finally came in ten days late. We had rainbow trout from up north and Greek salad, and Mexican street corn. I discovered it last week and can’t do just butter anymore. Olympic gold in men’s 200 metre race and women’s soccer.

7.    We had Pino sausages from Sault Ste. Marie. This time we were smart and bought five packages of six. They are unlike anything else; not greasy at all. My cousin married a Pino and the store belongs to them.

8.    Our daughter went to a friend’s wedding reception yesterday and is returning home tonight. COVID week 72.

9.    Writing day. Our dishwasher broke just before we went up north. When we returned, we called in a company without checking up on them. They scammed us for $300. When we called back to say it was still broken, they said we’d have to pay $900 for parts. I don’t think so. Then we checked reviews on yelp and BBB and found they are not to be trusted. Don’t use the A team appliance repair. I wrote some reviews and also posted on our neighbourhood facebook page. So we bought a new one instead. The other lasted eight years.

10. Pain clinic and delivery of our new dishwasher.

11. Since no diet has worked for me with significant results, I’m going to try one that is working for a woman at church. It’s called Eat Like a Bear. It’s basically one meal per day; a ridiculously large salad with protein, and then intermittent fasting. I can’t eat that much in one sitting; it’s supposed to be done in an hour. I will divide it in two and eat over a five hour window, of lunch and supper (12-5), then fast for 19 hours. I hope I can do it. I did 12 hours before the first meal. Starting today. I weigh 174.4 lb. At my heaviest I was 186. My goal is to lose 50 pounds, or to get to 125 lb ideally. Let’s roll!

12. I lost 1.6 pounds overnight. They say most lose five pounds in the first three days. Two days to go.

13. I lost 2.6 pounds in two days. It was surprisingly easy to fast considering how full you feel.

14. We had a fundraiser at church for missions. We have people at our church who work for LEGO and the Raptors, so we have good items at the silent auction.

15. We went for a picnic lunch at a local conservation area. Our daughter from Ottawa is coming for one night. She had a friend’s bachelorette weekend. COVID week 73.

16. Our daughter did a painting. I’ll post a picture. I was quite impressed with it. She let us keep it.

17. The grandkids came for two nights.

18. Went to a local farm with the kids. They loved feeding the animals.

19. The kids went home after we went to Rotary Park for a picnic, playground, and water park, then out for ice cream.

20. I’m doing intermittent fasting and it’s actually not hard. I’ve never fasted before except for a 30 hour famine fundraiser years ago, which was soooo hard. My husband has another two weeks off.

21. Drove up to Muskoka to visit and celebrate my brother-in-law’s 55^th birthday.

22. COVID week 74.

23. Driving to Ottawa for two nights to see our daughter. Went out for dinner at a local restaurant.

24. Went on a touristy cruise of the Ottawa River then to the Chateau Laurier for lunch. Walked over 8 km; so tired. Then out for dinner at a steak and seafood place.

25. Drive home. Stopped at the Big Apple.

26. Groceries. Laundry.

27. Beach day.

28. We’re going to take the grandkids for two nights tomorrow, since my husband is still on vacation and my daughter needs a break. He has been telling them pirate stories so we bought a little box that looks like a treasure chest and filled it with coin shaped chocolates in silver and gold foil. My husband will bury it in our yard. He also made some treasure maps with clues, which we’ll put in a bottle and leave in the yard.

29. COVID week 75. The kids arrived today.

30. Treasure hunt and water park. I’ll post pictures. My grandson said it was the best day of his life.

31. Brought the kids back home.