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.

Crocheting

 

December Journaling

1.     Getting my winter tires on today. Went to a President’s Banquet at the Old Mill. It is for Toronto Baptist Seminary, and our Pastor and his wife came along. So nice to see old friends.

2.     Our daughter is here for the weekend again. Slept poorly last night. Sauna this evening. Ready for my class on Thursday.

3.     Church. Went grocery shopping.

4.     Writing. I didn’t post one episode of my podcast last month because I was so busy. Chili and cornbread for dinner.

5.     Crocheting. Discovered a new stitch on youtube. Made a scarf with fringe and an ear warmer to match. Haddock and corn on the cob for dinner.

6.     Chiro. Haircut. Prayer meeting. Cobb salad for dinner.

7.     Taught my class. My husband had his work Christmas party so I drove him there and picked him up so he could have a drink. Ordered my Christmas meal from Longos again.

8.     Pain clinic.

9.     Crocheting scarves; found an easy and unique pattern and learned how to put fringe on them.

10. Church. My husband preached in the evening. Italian wedding soup for lunch and spaghetti carbonara for dinner. It seems we’re Italian today. Our grandkids were in the Christmas play at church; the oldest boy was a wise man; his dad painted a beard on him and now I can’t tell him apart from his dad, the oldest girl was a cow in a cow suit with a painted face, and the youngest girl was a sheep with a white face and a black nose. So cute.

11. Writing. My final lesson for this week is done, so working on my podcast episode.

12. Botox injections for pain.

13. Prayer meeting. Spaghetti and sauce with sausage for dinner.

14. Final lesson of the year. Chicken pot pie for dinner, also made four for the freezer.

15. My husband and I are going to babysit this evening so our daughter can go to a Christmas party.

16. Baking for coffee time tomorrow.

17. Church. Our friends who we travelled with this summer are back from another cruise.

18. Writing. Cleaning out a cupboard. Our church Christmas party is at a Greek restaurant tonight.

19. Home day; preparing my pills for the next month.

20. Elders and wives’ dinner tonight. I am bringing dessert; a chocolate cake.

21. Going to Hamilton to watch the grandkids in their school Christmas play of some songs from Handel’s Messiah.

22. The parcels of Christmas gifts for the orphans in Uganda arrived today, just in time for Christmas. An answer to prayer. Our daughter came from Ottawa and her boyfriend from Colorado. They decorated the Christmas tree. I crocheted six strings of white snowflakes. I’ll post a picture.

23. My sister who lives in B.C. showed up unexpectedly for Christmas. My mom was so happy.

24. The grandkids aren’t coming to sleep over after all since one of them has been vomiting all night.

25. Hosted Christmas dinner for sixteen family members. Our grandkids have a lull in illness so they’re coming for the day after all, which makes the whole holiday better.

26. Clean up.

27. Our daughter went back to Ottawa and her boyfriend returned to Colorado. Making turkey broth for soup and turkey pot pie with leftovers. Setting our budget for the new year.

28. Baked some vegan eggnog bundt cake to freeze for my daughter and her boyfriend. It was made with oat nog, vegan butter, and flax eggs.

29. I crocheted about twelve scarves this month. It takes one evening to make one along with a matching ear warmer if I have enough yarn. I’ll post a picture. I learned how to make fringe on youtube. My wrist is sore from the repetitive stress.

30. I made homemade shrimp and okra soup which we haven’t had in years.

31. Church. Had Mary Brown’s chicken and okra for dinner. I’ve been doing my Bible teaching podcast, Bible Companion Series for four years now. I have 259 episodes, covering the books Genesis to Deuteronomy, Job, and now into Joshua. If you are planning to read through the Bible chronologically in 2024, come along with me. Bible Companion Series | Podcasts

Pikku Joulu 2023

 

November Journaling

1.     Had blood work done today, then chiro, nap, dinner, and prayer meeting.

2.     Going to Hamilton with my mom to help out with the grandkids. Super early morning so I can drop off the grandkids at school.

3.     Going to attempt to buy very few groceries this month, to save money. I have prepped several meals and we have a full freezer, fridge, and pantry to work with. Prepped some regular and vegan chili.

4.     Baking for tomorrow at church. Also made chicken pot pie for dinner.

5.     Church. Cobb salad for lunch.

6.     Writing my lesson on the last half of Ephesians 6 on the armor of God. Shrimp fried rice for dinner.

7.     Attending a doctor’s appointment with my mom. No nap today. She thanked me with flowers. Homemade turkey burgers for dinner.

8.     Scrambling to finish my lesson.

9.     The grandkids and our eldest daughter are coming for two nights since they have a PA day tomorrow. I made homemade chicken strips and corn on the cob.

10. Doing crafts with the grandkids.

11. Remembrance Day.

12. Church.

13. Writing. Got a second opinion for my mom about dental work, so now she will switch to a dentist who goes to our church. The other one suggested full lower dentures because she lost a tooth. Too extreme. She has kept her teeth for 83 years.

14. Finishing my summary of Ephesians.

15. Finished, printing it at church. Prayer meeting. The three Mexican men who worked with John for the summer and rebuilt our deck are returning home this week. We’re going to miss them. One in particular, Jhosmar, has been very involved at church and hopes to return to Canada with his family.

16. Presented my summary. They do appreciate all the work, but I’m happy to take a break from all the preparation and do a book that is already done; Exodus. It’s also one of my favourites.

17. Taking my mom to the dentist. Working on my podcast. I’m in the book of Joshua, chapter five.

18. Christmas shopping. My insulin levels which had been three times normal, then two times normal, are now normal. Yay! Anything to avoid getting diabetes.

19. Church. This evening our pastor preached about the gender ideology issues.

20. Finished my lesson for this week. So much easier to rework messages I already sweated over.

21. Dentist for me, then my mom. I’m switching dentists on my next visit after 30 years, to one who goes to our church.

22. Last night I processed 10 pounds of potatoes into three bags of mashed potatoes for the freezer, a large serving of hassleback potatoes, and homemade hashbrowns. Today I’ll use the rest to try to make gnocchi for the first time. Also writing. Frozen sheet pan meal for dinner. Church tonight, my husband is leading it.

23. Bible study, beginning Exodus. Only two chapters, but I made a fill-in-the-blanks page for each chapter to guide their reading and aid comprehension.

24. Baking and shopping for the weekend in London.

25. Drove to London for Pikku Joulu (little Christmas) with the Finnish side of the family. All of the husbands are non-Finns, or outsiders as my husband calls them. A lack of dark sour rye bread caused this one to be known as the Great Potato Sandwich Famine. My daughter will search for a recipe and make sure this won’t happen next year.

26. Home. Missed church today with our youth leader and his wife becoming members.

27. Prepped my lesson for this Thursday, and the fill-in-the-blanks worksheets. It will be online only this week since I’ll be in Hamilton again, helping out.

28. Decorated for Christmas, the housekeeper was here to clean up the mess from the garland bits.

29. Made Finnish buttermilk cake. Working on my podcast. I haven’t posted in a month because of my class, but I should be able to do more now because of the change in format. Prayer meeting.

30. Went to Hamilton to help out because the grandkids’ school is changing locations and they need two days to make the move. Did paper mache with them. They love crafts. Made ribs and hassleback potatoes for dinner.

Free Shipping Contest

 October Journaling

 

1.     Church, then a luncheon to welcome our new youth leader and his wife. No evening service.

2.     I’ve had a dry cough since we were at the cottage so over a month. Tested negative for covid. Working on my lesson for Bible study Wednesday.

3.     Housekeeper. I love that my house is clean at least once a month. Sending parcels to Nunavut with the free shipping for six Tuesdays. I’m sending her yarn, Hallowe’en candies, bras and underwear, and toiletries.

4.     Chiro and massage.

5.     Bible Study, then our son-in-law is coming to stay over with the grandkids because he has a conference in Toronto tomorrow. My husband is taking the day off to help out. Sausage for dinner, and sauna of course.

6.     Fun day with the grandkids, outside, and doing crafts. Our other daughter arrived for almost a week. It’s my son-in-law’s birthday.

7.     Picking up the turkey for my mother-in-law, from Longos. She’s hosting but took a cue from what I’ve done the last few years and had them cook the turkey. They don’t deliver anymore though. Bringing two appetizers and three desserts for tomorrow.

8.     Church, a joint service with EBCE. Thanksgiving dinner at my mother-in-law’s house.

9.     I entered a contest through Canada Post because I use them for shipping. We can win one of five gifts of $5,000 in free shipping in a year, so that would help so much with Uganda. I wrote a handwritten letter stating what it would mean to win it. Sent it with prayers.

10. A doctor’s visit for my mom, and she needs me to go with her.

11. Expecting a large order from Amazon, some containers for decluttering and organizing my pantry, and early Christmas gifts for the kids. They had Amazon prime day yesterday, the day after Canadian Thanksgiving, I guess to give Canadians something similar to Black Friday in the U.S. Sent another parcel to Yukon.

12. Received my deliveries from Amazon. Out to Michaels Craft store to buy yarn for the woman in Nunavut. She crochets, too. Prayer meeting tonight.

13. Thinking of getting an upright freezer; my mom offered to pay. It will be our Christmas gift; very generous.

14. I cleaned out and reorganized my pantry. It took ten hours over two days. It’s beautiful. I’ll post a picture. Missions' week kicked off with a breakfast.

15. Missionaries from Thailand this morning; went out to a restaurant with them for lunch; then a nap, then an evangelist who teaches the church how to share the gospel.

16. Writing, preparing for my lesson this Thursday.

17. More writing. Finished.

18. Mammogram; ouch. Our new upright freezer is coming today. I’m so excited. Prayer meeting; the speaker is from Samaritan’s Purse about the Christmas shoeboxes.

19. Bible study. Then going to Costco to buy things that will actually fit in my freezer.

20. Organized my stand-up freezer. It’s full already.

21. Cleaned out the freezer under my fridge. Threw out so much stuff. But now I know what I have.

22. Church. Conclusion to Missions Week. Our daughter arrived back from Colorado after ten days. She met her ‘in-laws’ and took a trip to Aspen.

23. Working on my lesson for Thursday.

24. More writing. Our granddaughter (6) lost her second tooth. So cute.

25. Finished my lesson for tomorrow. We will be changing our format for Bible study after we finish Ephesians. It takes me so much time I can’t get much else done. So we will use my prepared lessons on Exodus from my podcast, Bible Companion Series. I told them it was either that, or someone else needed to teach because I was burned out. They liked this option, unsurprisingly.

26.Taught my class on Eph. 5:22-33 about the responsibilities of husbands and wives in a Christian marriage. I felt like cooking after grocery shopping so I prepared some vegan mushroom soup for our daughter and her boyfriend for over Christmas, and meal prepped some beef and broccoli, made some chicken stock, and steamed and froze some spinach. I’m loving my new upright freezer.

27. Recording and cooking. Today I made tomato soup, salsa, and two sheet pan meal preps.

28. More cooking and baking.

29. Church. Excellent preaching.

30. Working on my lesson. Also packaged up some shoeboxes for kids through Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child; 2-4 year olds which are often forgotten.

31. Housekeeper. Also, it’s Reformation Day. After darkness, light.