28 years Cancer-free!

 

June Journaling

1.     Going to help out in H-town for a PA day. Two of the three have been very sick from a virus. Hopefully I don’t catch it and bring it home. My mom’s final day with her OT helping with speech therapy. So exhausted from a busy week last week. I hope I’m not crashing. I took them to Dollarama and A&W for lunch. Then I brought one of them to the dentist to remove part of a popsicle stick from her gums. Then we painted in the back yard.

2.     Our daughter was sworn into the BAR in Colorado, so she can now technically practice law in the U.S. once she gets her green card. Slow process.

3.     My husband is 28 years cancer free today! We never tire of celebrating this milestone, since I know it doesn’t always end up like this. I had a doppler ultrasound of my arteries, then a chiropractor appointment.

4.     Bible study. Making tacos and cupcakes for dinner tomorrow for the young adults.

5.     Plan to Protect class at church in preparation for VBS. Baking a lemon poppyseed cake for tomorrow.

6.     Teaching Sunday School this month.

7.     Doing my homework.

8.     Home day; bought flowers, vegetables and herbs to plant around the house. I had a lot of energy surprisingly.

9.     Doctor’s appointment; my blood work, doppler ultrasound of my veins and colon cancer test all normal. Good to know. Going to start slowly weaning off the weight loss medication. I lost 30 pounds and 20 inches since July (10 months), and I’m okay with that. I’d like to lose more, but unfortunately, this drug doesn’t burn fat, it’s still there. It makes you lose muscle and bone. I have no butt, and moderate osteoporosis.

10. To the kids’ school for the final time, since they will likely be switching schools in the fall. I’m bringing the story book I wrote for my granddaughter, Bunny’s Excellent Jamaican Adventure, to give to her teacher and to the library. The teacher read it to the class while I was there.

11. Bible study. Only two more to go, then the summer off. Then to my naturopath for an infusion of vitamins and minerals. Prepping for my Sunday School class this weekend. It’s on the Prodigal Son; my favourite parable. 

12. My mom is having bloodwork at home this morning. Then we have a dental appointment. Young Adults’ meeting. Studying Apologetics at their request.

13. Men’s breakfast. Grandkids and family coming overnight. They have a Jays’ game tomorrow afternoon. The girls are coming to church with us.

14. Teaching Sunday School. One of my granddaughters was in my class. The others went to a Blue Jays game and our grandson got to run the bases before the game. He also got onto the Jumbotron.

15. Home day. Prepping for VBS. Had some energy today so I cooked a Tex-Mex casserole.

16. Home day, catching up on some work and tidying up. Made a pink owl, now working on a Max, the Grinch’s dog for my husband’s coworker’s son. Meeting online with the Young Adults, planning their summer events.

17. My husband’s 63^rd birthday today. Prepping for Sunday School and Young Adults’ to play Password. I’m making a spaghetti and meatballs dinner with Caesar salad. Final prayer meeting of the summer. This cooking for them is unsustainable. 

18. Bible study. 2 Thessalonians. Errands, nap, world cup soccer, Canada 6, Qatar 0. A hat trick by Jonathan David.

19. Young Adults meeting. The spaghetti and meatballs dinner was a hit, as was the Password game. Long day, though.

20. Women’s ministry breakfast, study on Deborah. Going out for dinner at Makimono with my husband to celebrate his birthday. Enjoying World cup soccer.

21. Church, teaching again. Father’s Day. Gave my mom a shower for her appointment.

22. Seeing my mom’s cardiologist with her today. While there I got an echocardiogram done.

23. Two medical appointments, housekeeper here, and an online meeting planning the VBS. I will have a table of toys and books on the last day when the parents join the kids.

24. Going to H-town to spend the day with the grandkids. My mom is coming along. I’m making Atlantic salmon, smashed potatoes, kale salad, and Belgian waffles with berry compote and whipped cream for dessert.

25. Final Bible study till September, then an appointment.

26. Got a 48 hour holter monitor put on to check about palpitations. Went bowling with the young adults; I just watched. Too unsteady on my feet.

27. Prepped my last Sunday School lesson till September.

28. Church. Taught on the Parable of the Wedding Feast.

29. Home day.

30. Pain clinic for back injections.

Still Cruising

May Journaling

1.     Day seven. Sea Day, now on the Pacific ocean. A light breakfast on the observation deck. Behind the Scenes tour of the Norwegian Joy. Lunch at the Local. Nap, shower, dinner in buffet Indian. Game show. Abba dance party. Cards on observation deck.

2.     Day eight. In Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. Did the Crocodile Man Tour, saw monkeys and birds, and a crazy man feed chicken to a crocodile, and then kiss it. Saw a comedy show with a horrible comedian who didn’t even have any jokes to tell, he just interviewed the audience. My husband walked out. Dinner at the Savor dining room. Beatles show at the Cavern. Cards on observation deck.

3.     Day nine. Sea Day on Pacific Ocean. I love sea days. Breakfast in buffet. Out on pool deck in shade. I finished a teddy bear, now crocheting a pink hippo. Women stop to comment on how cute they are. Spa, shower, nap. Dinner at the Local; fish and chips. 80’s Broadway hits show, then 80’s dance party. Cards on observation deck. Tried a chocolate martini, yum.

4.     Day ten. Breakfast at the Local. In Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. Stayed right in port. They are known for jade, bought jade earrings and a ring, chocolate, a bag, coffee, a painting, and a few other things. Back on board, lounging in shade by the pool. Shower and nap. Dinner in buffet; jerk chicken. Met with Linda and Tom. Cards on observation deck.

5.     Day eleven. Sea Day. Breakfast in buffet. Spa. Cagney’s steak house for dinner.

6.     Day twelve. Sea Day. Breakfast in buffet. Murder mystery. Spa, shower, nap. Dinner at Food Republic. 90’s musical; the best one so far. I wish they would have done the same for the 80’s instead of Broadway show tunes.

7.     Day thirteen. In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Breakfast in buffet. Walmart for a few things; Mexico is not cheap; we should have bought more in Colon, Panama. Shower and nap. Did a private cab tour. Dinner at the Manhattan Dining Room.

8.     Day fourteen. In Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Met with a local pastor that J and E knew. Took him out for brunch, also to celebrate Mother’s day. Then he took us to a glass blowing factory, I bought two sets of earrings.

9.     Day fifteen. Sea Day. Last day of cruise. Breakfast in buffet. Gave away my Benaiah book to a Christian staff member, Rey. Also gave away the teddy bear and hippo to Linda for her niece and nephew. Comedy show. Dinner at Q, the Texas Smokehouse bbq for dinner. Very loud country music band played during dinner, so you couldn’t have a conversation. Packed up to go home. Luggage out.

10. Disembarked at 9:30. In Los Angeles overnight. Seeing the sights. Our hotel, Dream Hollywood is nice, although Hollywood itself is rundown. We walked along Hollywood Blvd to see the walk of fame stars, and had lunch at a Trattoria; gyros. Then did a bus tour, the tour was interesting, seeing the difference between Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Belair. But the bus was a dirty, run down vehicle. No seat belts and stuffing coming out of the seats. Dinner at the Outback Steakhouse in Burbank, California, which is very nice.

11. Breakfast on roof top of Dream Hollywood. Flight was in the afternoon so we left early because we heard the traffic could be bad. Bought food in the airport. Good flight. John had arranged the same guy who picked us up to go, now to bring us home.

12. Home in the early morning. Need to readjust to the three hour time difference. Laundry and unpacking. Exhausting day, but happy to be back. It was a great trip.

13. Homework for tomorrow. Errands. Prayer meeting.

14. Bible study. Received pictures of the parcel arriving in Uganda. Walked 25 minutes, trying to get my butt back. It was lost due to Wegovy; it makes you lose muscle, not fat. My mother in law is 81 today.

15. Pain clinic. We bought a new car. Young adults’ meeting. We had a former Muslim come and give his testimony and answer questions.

16. Baking for church tomorrow.

17. Busy day. Helping to teach Sunday School, then on coffee, plus prayer room. Also communion today and then a VBS meeting afterwards.

18. Purging closets and drawers. Victoria Day, grilling burgers. Made a small mauve hippo.

19. Made a large pink hippo.

20. Finished my homework for Thursday.

21. Our youngest granddaughter is six today. She was born at home during the pandemic.

22. Birthday party for our granddaughter. We got them a trip to the Toronto Zoo.

23. Prepping for Sunday School. Made an x-ray fish and a pink alien.

24. I made my first zebra.

25.Our daughter is heading to Wisconsin for a week to see her husband and receive recognition for passing her bar exam in Colorado. My mom’s second last appointment with her occupational therapist. Attended a missions’ committee meeting.

26. Housekeeper. Also my mom had her shower.

27. Haircut for me and my mom, then she is having a chest x-ray. Prayer meeting.

28. Mom’s chest xray was ok according to her doctor’s call.

29. I had an appointment with a physiatrist, never heard of them before. He ordered an MRI for me about my weak right leg. Cooking for Young Adults’ meeting tonight. Made chili and corn meal muffins. Starting a series on Apologetics. Also set up a table to sell toys and books.

30. Women’s One Day retreat; very nice. Sold $350 today. Then prepping to help with Sunday School tomorrow.

31. Sunday school helper. Next month I teach.

Panama Canal Cruise

 April Journaling

1.     Crocheted a large mauve hippo, a yellow reversible octo, and more mushy pops for the kids in Uganda. Prayer meeting.

2.     Bible study, massage. I stepped up to become one of the Sunday school teachers for the older kids beginning in June.

3.     Good Friday service. May I never lose the wonder of the cross.

4.     Bill C-9 has passed. Time will tell how much it will restrict/impact the proclamation of the gospel.

5.     Resurrection Sunday! He is Risen. He is Risen indeed. Checking in online for our cruise and choosing our seats on the airplane.

6.     My husband did my mom’s taxes because they are easy, but mine and his are complicated. He started but now we decided to bring them to a professional because we’re not sure what was claimed the last few years when they were done by someone else. Trying to get in to see my doctor to fill out forms.

7.     Planning for this week’s young adults meeting on Friday.

8.     Prayer meeting. Took my mom out for a haircut.

9.     Bible Study.

10.The young adults’ meeting was great. We had 19 tonight, 20 in our first one.

11. Going for a pedicure with my mom since she needs foot care and we are going on the cruise in two weeks.

12. In spite of missing a few doses of my weight loss medication, I’m still losing; down 29 pounds since July. Although I’m not pleased that it makes me lose muscle instead of fat.

13. Our daughter got a job in Toronto so she’ll be living with us again starting in May. Picking up our taxes from H & R Block.

14. My first children’s story book was published! Bunny’s Excellent Jamaican Adventure, based on our family trip to Jamaica when our granddaughter’s favorite stuffie was lost. The book arrived, I’m most proud of this one.

15. Sent a parcel off to Uganda with toys I made and books I wrote.

16. I’ve been one month without Wegovy waiting on my doctor to fill in the forms for approval from the drug company to cover it. Just got it in time to take it with me on vacation. Still down 29 pounds though.

17. Last Young Adults for Christ meeting before our vacation. We will be away for the next three but one of the other elders is covering.

18. The grandkids are here for the weekend, last visit before our cruise. I showed them the personalized book, they loved it.

19. Church.

20. Getting our winter tires off. Packing and doing so many last minute things for our vacation and the care of my mom while we’re gone. Getting U.S. cash.

21. Finally packed! Or should I say, overpacked. Every time I think I won’t, I still do.

22. Finished my homework for Bible study tomorrow. Cleaning and prepping my mom’s meds for the next three weeks. Prayer meeting tonight.

23. Bible study, then picking up my sister from the airport.

24. Headed to the airport early, our flight leaves for Miami at noon. We had a bagel and lox for breakfast along with a mimosa to start the vacation. In Miami we went to Umami, great Asian food for dinner, and got a few more things at Walmart.

25. Day one. Boarding the ship for our 15 day Panama Canal Cruise. The boarding process was not terribly smooth. We have a balcony room on the 11^th deck starboard, aft. Caesar salad for lunch. Checked out the spa. Had a nap. Played mini golf, explored the ship. Dinner at the Manhattan restaurant. Had shrimp scampi and honey crème brule. Played trivia in the atrium and came in third. I may have won if I’d figured out the button sooner and not hesitated on one answer. Went to a comedy show. Late night snack, and then crocheted a bit.I brought my crocheting to make teddy bears for some staff or people we meet.

26. Day two. Sea Day. Breakfast in buffet. Spa, shower, pedicure, nap. Photo shoot for our 40^th wedding anniversary. Dinner at Tepanyaki restaurant. Went to see the Beatles Story by a tribute band. Danced at a Motown party. Played cards in the observation lounge.

27. Day three. Breakfast in main dining room. Lounged by the pool, in the shade. Buffet lunch, nap. Comedy club, dinner in Main Dining Room. Cabaret show. Early to bed.

28. Day four. Room service breakfast. In Cartagena, Colombia. I love cruising. Did a van tour for highlights. Met a couple from Washington state; Linda and Tom who were also on their 40^th wedding anniversary trip. Bought emerald earrings since that is what Colombia is known for.

29. Day five. Room service breakfast. In Colon Panama. Private driver. It was raining. We drove an hour to a local beach, no rain. Fish and fried plantain lunch. Saw a sand dollar. Saw the bridge that begins the canal. Bought two rings for $28. Shower, nap. Bought 6 rings, two for $40, dinner at Ocean Blue; delicious. Listened to Latin music, played cards in the observation lounge.

30. Day six. Sea Day, transiting through the canal. It’s my birthday. I’m 62. Room service for breakfast. Info session on Panama Canal. Lunch at American Diner; the banana milkshake was delicious. Nap. Dinner at Le Bistro, the French restaurant.

First Children's Book

 April Journaling

1.     Crocheted a large mauve hippo, a yellow reversible octo, and more mushy pops for the kids in Uganda. Prayer meeting.

2.     Bible study, massage. I stepped up to become one of the Sunday school teachers for the older kids beginning in June.

3.     Good Friday service. May I never lose the wonder of the cross.

4.     Bill C-9 has passed. Time will tell how much it will restrict/impact the proclamation of the gospel.

5.     Resurrection Sunday! He is Risen. He is Risen indeed. Checking in online for our cruise and choosing our seats on the airplane.

6.     My husband did my mom’s taxes because they are easy, but mine and his are complicated. He started but now we decided to bring them to a professional because we’re not sure what was claimed the last few years when they were done by someone else. Trying to get in to see my doctor to fill out forms.

7.     Planning for this week’s young adults meeting on Friday.

8.     Prayer meeting. Took my mom out for a haircut.

9.     Bible Study.

10.The young adults’ meeting was great. We had 19 tonight, 20 in our first one.

11. Going for a pedicure with my mom since she needs foot care and we are going on the cruise in two weeks.

12. In spite of missing a few doses of my weight loss medication, I’m still losing; down 29 pounds since July. Although I’m not pleased that it makes me lose muscle instead of fat.

13. Our daughter got a job in Toronto so she’ll be living with us again starting in May. Picking up our taxes from H & R Block.

14. My first children’s story book was published! Bunny’s Excellent Jamaican Adventure, based on our family trip to Jamaica when our granddaughter’s favorite stuffie was lost. The book arrived, I’m most proud of this one.

15. Sent a parcel off to Uganda with toys I made and books I wrote.

16. I’ve been one month without Wegovy waiting on my doctor to fill in the forms for approval from the drug company to cover it. Just got it in time to take it with me on vacation. Still down 29 pounds though.

17. Last Young Adults for Christ meeting before our vacation. We will be away for the next three but one of the other elders is covering.

18. The grandkids are here for the weekend, last visit before our cruise. I showed them the personalized book, they loved it.

19. Church.

20. Getting our winter tires off. Packing and doing so many last minute things for our vacation and the care of my mom while we’re gone. Getting U.S. cash.

21. Finally packed! Or should I say, overpacked. Every time I think I won’t, I still do.

22. Finished my homework for Bible study tomorrow. Cleaning and prepping my mom’s meds for the next three weeks. Prayer meeting tonight.

23. Bible study, then picking up my sister from the airport.

24. Headed to the airport early, our flight leaves for Miami at noon. Will go out for Chinese food for dinner, and get a few more things at a drug store.

25. Boarding the ship for our 15 day Panama Canal Cruise. We have a balcony room on the 11^th deck starboard, aft. Dinner at the Tepanyaki restaurant.

26. I brought my crocheting to make teddy bears for some staff or people we meet. Sea Day.

27. We got the spa package so we spend a lot of time in the sauna. Sea Day. Lots of playing cards.

28. In Cartagena, Colombia. Love cruising.

29. In Colon Panama, transiting through the canal.

30. Sea Day. It’s my birthday. Dinner at Le Bistro, the French restaurant.

Mom is 86

 

March Journaling

1.     Church. I taught the younger kids and was so nervous because the lesson was not a simple Bible story but a doctrinal teaching about Jesus as the lamb of God and how that means we don’t do animal sacrifices anymore. But my helper, Anna Karina was so good, and helped them with the memory verse by drawing pictures of the key words.

2.     The O.T. was here but my mom gets her Finn on and is so stubborn and obstinate, refusing to answer questions. When she doesn’t know something like what is this colour? She will ask, Why? Or say, I don’t want to. It gives her control. But it is very frustrating. But one improvement was she was able to print her name, which she didn’t do before.

3.     A visit from the home care coordinator. Then we are seeing my mom’s family doctor at one o’clock, because she also needs to get bloodwork done.

4.     PSW to shower my mom. I got copies of my latest word search, Obscure Vocabulary Word Search. That’s five word searches now.

5.     Going to Hamilton to look after the youngest granddaughter.

6.     I made two yodas.

7.     Making more mushy pops for the kids in Uganda. My mom is having a bad day language-wise.

8.     Helped at Sunday school, the younger kids. The Paralympics are on in Italy. I got copies of my first coloring book, called My ABC Fruit Coloring Book, but there are also activities in it.

9.     OT here to help with speech therapy. My mom is less difficult now.

10. I have a doctor’s appointment for myself today.

11. Staying overnight in Hamilton to help with the grandkids. I brought my coloring book, which my granddaughter loved.

12. Home again. Made two axolotls and a platypus.

13. The grandkids are coming for a night. There was a bad snowstorm and the drive here was treacherous, but they made it, thank God.

14. Looking through pictures with my mom.

15. Church, then booking our hotel rooms pre and post cruise.

16. O.T. for my mom. We are cancelling the speech therapist twice a week and working with her online instead. Too many appointments, and the O.T. does a good job.

17. Cleaning lady. She does such a good job. I like a clean house, but don’t like cleaning, nor do I have the energy for it. Last day our daughter is here for a while.

18. Our youngest daughter is going to the U.S. to visit her husband, dog, and in-laws for 10 days, then she is moving back to Ottawa to work at her old job with the government, until and unless she gets a job in Toronto, in which case, she’d live with us rent free while she is waiting to reunite with her husband permanently.

19. The PSW we have coming is wonderful. We have her for a year.

20. Trying to adjust our flights pre and post cruise. Successful, now we’re on the same flights as our travel buddies.

21. Women’s ministry meeting. Today my mom’s speech was pretty good, she spoke to my aunt on the phone.

22. Church. Went out for ice cream after evening service.

23. Botox. O.T. speech therapy for my mom. I gave her back her phone because now she can answer calls and texts.

24. Shopping for food for our guests this week.

25. So nice to have family visiting my mom. She was very encouraged by their visit.

26. I made salmon wellington for dinner. They appreciated it.

27. It’s my mom’s 86^th birthday. Glad she’s still with us and her speech is improving all the time. This evening we had our first in person meeting of the newly formed Young Adults for Christ, YA4C. There were 20 of us and it was really nice.

28. Our daughter returned from her visit in the US to see her husband, dog, and in-laws.

29. Our daughter left this morning to return to her job in Ottawa, but she’s hoping to get a job in Toronto and live with us to save money while she awaits her green card. Church. This evening was a different format.

30. O.T. for speech therapy. Meeting online to debrief about the Young Adults meeting on Friday.

31. Pain clinic for back injections.

Mom's Stroke

 February Journaling

1.     My grandson is 11 today. My husband’s coworker came out to church. Then we took him out for lunch. I’m down 21 pounds since July.

2.     Last night around 11 pm my mom had a TIA, a mini stroke. Her only symptom was aphasia which is difficulty speaking. She was trying to tell me something but 90 % were not even words. At least I happened to go down there right when it happened, or she would have just gone to bed not knowing, since she doesn’t talk to herself. I called an ambulance and spent the night in the ER. They also found her hgb was low, 64, so they gave her a unit of blood. Her speech improved overnight but then worsened again the next afternoon. They are doing CT’s, and MRI’s. It improved again by evening. I spoke with the neurologist. I’m so worried about her.

3.     Going to visit mom, then taking a new couple out for dinner. We brought food from home for my mom since she’s not eating so well. They moved her to a quieter area in the ER but still waiting for a bed on the stroke unit. The MRI showed a true stroke, not just a mini one. But thankfully there was no paralysis.

4.     Published another word search, this one on Medical Terminology.

5.     My mom was seen by speech therapy today. She has both receptive and expressive aphasia. I had her facetime with my aunt and that made both of them happy. At one point my mom looked at the clock on the wall and said, you need to go. It was one o’clock, which she knows is my nap time.

6.     Daily visit to my mom. She called my aunt again. Prayer meeting.

7.     My mom’s memory and speech are improving daily. She is starting to recall everyone who has visited. My cousin came over on her way back from a business trip.

8.     The grandkids stayed overnight and we celebrated their birthdays, 11 and 9. We are getting new bikes for them. They also visited my mom. She is remembering when we called the ambulance. She just wants to go home.

9.     Heard from the hospital today about mom’s discharge plans, it will be either tomorrow or Wednesday.

10.Published another word search, this one on Obscure Vocabulary. Now that I have five I’d like to know how to bundle them and sell them as a set on amazon.

11. She’s home!

12. First visit by the PSW; they gave her a shower which she loved. It’s been two weeks.

13. First visit by Occupational Health. I’m also trying to arrange home speech therapy. My mom can do her dishes, dress herself, fold laundry, and set up her coffee. She was playing cards, so she has some muscle memory for that, as well as for her CPAP machine, and about some of her medications. But her speech got a little worse, she has trouble finding words and understanding questions.

14. Valentine’s Day, or as they call it in Finland, Friendship Day. Not everyone has a sweetheart, but everyone has a friend. My car got clipped in the grocery store parking lot. Part of the fender fell off. I didn’t get her info, thinking it would be an easy fix. Now my husband says it may be costly.

15. At church, teaching Sunday School about the temptation of Jesus.

16. It would have been my dad’s 87^th birthday, but he died at 28. Today our church is doing a Family Day event at a community center as outreach. Everything is closed except the drug store.

17. Went to Walmart.

18. Chiropractor and massage appointment.

19. My mom is getting better at the simpler word searches I make for her. She is so proud of her accomplishment. I am going to make them more challenging. She is also trying to read.

20. So many appointments today. Three practitioners came to our home just this morning. My mom was rude, telling them to go home. It looks like I’ll be doing her speech therapy assessment and possibly her treatment.

21. We bought a new mattress and the old one is going into one of the guest rooms.

22. Church, helping to teach through the life of Christ. I bought a new bedspread for the guest room bed. Made a squid and a flamingo.

23. So many appointments, and the PSW was two hours late, hard to work around her when she doesn’t even call. I had to do my mom’s speech therapy assessment because she is uncooperative with people who come into the house. It doesn’t help me for her to tell them to go away.

24. Speech therapy appointment. My mom is not a fan of having people come to the house. But I can’t do it all.

25. Last evening my mom suddenly started speaking quite coherently in full sentences with only a few words not found. When she initiates it, she is better than if we ask her questions.

26. I saw a naturopath today, so hopeful that we can discover the root problem to all my autoimmune illnesses. Today my mom decided she wanted to make Finnish pancakes so she did.

27. Made two peas in a pod, a drunken granny stitch pink ombre scarf and ear warmer, a small watermelon purse, and six more preemie beanies.

28. Women’s ministry breakfast then a young adult’s planning meeting at our house with pizza.

Back from France

January Journaling

1.     Happy New Year! Our youngest daughter is returning from France and her contract work in Lyon. Her husband had to go to the US where his parents live so he can work. They aren’t happy about being apart.

2.     Final day of the grandkids on Christmas break. We were using my school teaching materials for them to play teacher to us. We ordered in because it’s Friday. Made a strawberry turtle keychain and a few more preemie beanies.

3.     Cleaning up the house after the ‘storm’ of grandkids. So I have osteoporosis, and will start on injectable medication.

4.     Church. Then undecorating from Christmas.

5.     Dropping off my car because of an air leak in one of my tires. Then a massage.

6.     Pain clinic. First VBS meeting of the year. I made a giraffe snuggler and a baby seal pup.

7.     Getting ahead of tax preparation by adding up all my health care receipts. I spend over $300 a month out of pocket.

8.     My first children’s book was about to be ready for amazon when we found out it needed 7 more pages, so I prepped those today. I think it makes it more interesting.

9.     My mom’s stair lift is going back in today, then we can put the last of the furniture back in order. She’s happy about that.

10. Going out for dinner to Planta, the Vegan restaurant our daughter’s wedding was held at.

11. Going to publish another word search I have ready; this one is on Medical Terminology. Laundry day, and helped my mom shower. Her new bathroom is so nice.

12. Church.

13. Chiro appointment.

14. To the dentist for a new mouth guard fitting. I made my go-to teddy bear. Last year I made twelve of them.

15. Lots of snow, so our first class on the book of Daniel was canceled for tonight. Our travel buddies are safely home from their usual Christmas trip to Tenerife.

16. I was part of a panel at church for the teens to ask anything. Surprisingly, most of their questions were theological. It went well, though it went long, four hours.

17. Took a Nigerian family from our church out for breakfast.

18. Church. Made another teddy bear, this one from seven different colours. I call it a scrappy bear. Got a Costco order delivered. I spend less this way.

19. Dentist to pick up my mouth guard.

20. Housekeeper. It’s nice to know that my house gets properly cleaned at least once a month; I can’t do it.

21. Prayer meeting. Found out our prof at TBS fell and broke four ribs, so our class on the book of Daniel is cancelled. Too bad, it would have been nice.

22. Working on a rather big polar bear. My first one. It started as a panda but the pattern was ridiculous to follow so I had to wing it. Women’s Bible study starting up again today. Going for dinner at J & E’s and to discuss the trip. Purchased the thermal spa package for the entire cruise.

23. One of my winter tires needs replacing because of a leak.

24. Women’s breakfast meeting, then a Kids’ Church leader’s meeting. I’m starting to be a helper every three months starting in February.

25. My sister will come from B.C. to watch our mom for part of our cruise this spring. She is booking her flight. Church this morning. A big snow storm is coming. Morning service was online, the rest of the events were cancelled. We ended up not so bad out here but downtown Toronto got hammered with two feet of snow.

26. I made a light beige teddy bear. Working on my Bible study homework. We finished Ecclesiastes and started Song of Solomon.

27. I made a light sabre over a pool noodle.

28. Prayer meeting. Rejoicing that the government paused their plan to pass Bill C-9, criminalizing parts of the Bible as hate speech. But because it’s just paused I think they will call an election, and if they get a majority they will push it through then. They just don’t want to go into an election with so many people upset at them.

29. Bible study, starting the book of Song of Solomon.

30. Going to dinner at a friend’s from church.

31. Going to a meeting at church about possibly starting and ESL program there.