Stage Three: Northern Ontario Cottage Vacation

 

July Journaling

1.    Happy Canada D-eh!

2.    We’re getting our windows cleaned on our house for the first time in ten years. We cleaned the inside and all the screens.

3.    We had two posts replaced on our fence and now it’s nice and straight. They are also laying patio stones at the side of the house. Our daughter is visiting from Ottawa. We hadn’t seen her since Christmas.

4.    Our other daughter and her family came to spend the night so our youngest can meet her new niece. Feasting.

5.    My husband is preaching this morning. It was good to have the whole family together again.

6.    Took my car in to check the A.C. which isn’t working.

7.    Going to Hamilton with my mom today.

8.    My mom went to the ER today with tachycardia and hypertension. She was found to have atrial fibrillation and they had to shock her heart after putting her to sleep. Her heart rate went from 123 to 66. They started her on medications and had her follow up with her cardiologist. I was worried mostly because of her spiritual condition. She’s 80 and still unsaved. I prayed for one more opportunity to talk with her.

9.    Went to a mall for the first time in months. Mandatory masks indoors. But the numbers of COVID in Ontario are improving, unlike in the U.S.

10. My husband and I went out for dinner on a waterfront patio. There was no shade so we left after an hour as I was burning.

11. Packing for next weekend.

12. I decided to start a second podcast, reading my novel, since I don’t have an audiobook. Since I have the rights to it, I can do it. Look for Benaiah: Mighty Man of God on podcasts.com

13. Spent most of the day recording podcasts.

14. Pain clinic for back injections.

15. Chiro and massage.

16. Cooking, shopping and packing for the cottage.

17. Last day of packing. Ajax has a drive-thru ribfest so we’ll get that for dinner today and tomorrow.

18. Travel day up north. Driving with our daughter’s family as this is the grandkids first really long trip. They did well, but with all the stops it took 9-1/2 hours instead of 7.

19. Sunday, no service because there’s no service here. As in, internet. A true downtime. Our grandson caught his first fish; a small mouth bass. He was so proud.

20. The grandkids had a hike, a swim, and a campfire. They love octopi.

21. My husband went fishing today for speckled trout and caught his limit. His friend Harry flew his float plane in and they went to a little inland remote lake. The grandkids went to the beach. After my husband got back, they went in the little, rustic wood burning sauna on the property and sat in the creek in a natural whirlpool.

22. Today we headed into Sault Ste. Marie, the town I spent my first twenty years in. We went to the main mall, paid our mortgage, paid a visit to my dad’s gravesite, yes, there were tears, stopped in to see the friend who took my husband fishing, drove around town and down memory lane, discovered our old house is being resold again, and then went to my cousin’s house on Lower Island Lake for dinner and a sauna. Got home late, so the kids slept in.

23. Today they took the motor boat out to a sandy beach, I stayed back and napped. Then my cousin and her husband came over for dinner and we had a campfire.

24. Today we went to a friend’s cottage nearby. He bought my aunt and uncle’s camp which is where I spent a lot of time growing up. They have a motor boat, a pontoon boat, and a floating sauna. I’ll post a picture of it.

25. Traveling back home. It was a great week. The kids had good memories.

26. It’s our 34^th anniversary, so we went to the Keg for dinner. They are allowing indoor dining now that our region is in Stage three of reopening.

27. Still unpacking and doing laundry.

28. I drove my mom out to her pain clinic appointment because her blood pressure is low.

29. Prepping for the beach tomorrow, cutting up fruit and vegetables.

30. Went to a Provincial park nearby with our daughter and grandkids. We had burgers, chips, water, raw vegetables, fresh pineapple, watermelon, cherries, strawberries, and wild blueberries from up north. Then butter tarts, carrot cake cupcakes and coffee. Yum. Also reading a new historical fiction book written by a fellow Canadian writer of Biblical fiction. It’s called Under the Cloud about Miriam during the exodus.

31. A nice writing day. Long weekend, and my husband is still on vacation.

Stage Two: Back at Church

June Journaling

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

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

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

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

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

6.    My husband is staining our cedar deck.

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

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

9.    Grocery shopping; homemade pizza.

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. Pain clinic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

23. Meal planning is going well.

24. Toronto moved into stage two.

25. Visited the grandkids today with my mom.

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

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

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

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

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