Cottage life

 

July Journaling

1.    Canada Day! Not too proud to be a Canadian these days, with the recent discovery of over 1,000 bodies of indigenous children buried at residential schools among other things like the passage of a law restricting freedom to counsel. We bbq’d but are really feeling the side effects from our vaccination. Sore, heavy arm and lethargy.

2.    It’s been eight years since we had to put our dog, Kody down. Still miss him.

3.    My mom is mostly moved in and getting used to using the stair lift.

4.    COVID week 68. No evening services till September.

5.    Our youngest daughter got her second shot today. Our other daughter and her husband got theirs a day before we did.

6.    School prep for the last time for my middle grandchild.

7.    Final day of pre-school with Mimi for Robin. I wrote a report card too. I loved doing it but it’s a lot of work. Now I have two years ‘off’ until the newest one is ready for nursery school.

8.    Calm before the storm. The two older grandkids are coming to sleep over for two nights. Trip to Costco.

9.    Greek food for dinner.

10. Busy day with the kids; we’re too old and sick for this, but love having them over.

11. Church online since the grandkids are here, then lunch and driving the kids back home to Hamilton. Then watched the Euro Cup soccer final. Italy defeated England. Boo.

12. Dentist.

13. Aah, grooming, how I missed you. Got my eyebrows done, my haircut, and a mani-pedi. I feel like a human being again.

14. Chiro and massage. We had a virtual prayer meeting with one of our missionaries from Zambia. Oh, technology!

15. Step Three in Ontario, so indoor dining is on again! Going out of course.

16. Always nice when I hear of someone who read and enjoyed my book. It’s been out for two years now.

17. Got an idea for a new novel, but need to do a LOT of research first. Mayybe I’ll plan to do the first draft in November during NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing month. I did it two years ago for my Joseph story, which will probably just sit ‘in a drawer’ for a while, since one of my favourite authors in this same genre just released a book on the exact same characters. I’m afraid to read hers because I don’t want to be influenced when I’m doing my editing. I know mine is different, and I had already started it when she announced it as her next project, so I know mine is ‘original’ in that sense. But too bad, I really like it and would have liked to send it out there. Oh well.

18. Covid week 69. We had three baptisms today, so nice to hear the testimonies.

19. Our newest granddaughter is signing ‘more’, can clap, wave, blow kisses, and play peek-a-boo. She also does a lot of baby talk and can say about ten words.

20. Packing for our trip up north next week.

21. Zoom meeting with one of our missionaries in Zambia. At first people weren’t concerned about COVID since they thought of it as a rich person’s disease. Only rich people could travel, so they were the only people infected. Then it spread to others, no vaccines, and no supplies in hospital, so then the fear took hold. Our friend had some staff and students at the seminary and Bible college die.

22. Last minute cooking of sauces and dressings and soups so it’s easier there.

23. So much to pack.

24. Long drive up north to a cottage for seven nights with the grandkids and our daughter and son-in-law again, like last year. During Covid this is the only option for travel. Likely the last one since next year the Americans will stay there again. Although it still took nine hours because we had to stop frequently because of the kids, it seemed faster than last year, maybe because we left earlier, so we arrived earlier. The kids are so excited.

25. My cousin and her husband came to visit us and spend the day. They both have cancer, hers is more advanced but responding well. They are both unsaved. Also saw two guys who were friends forty years ago. Man, we’re old. Covid week 70 but no church this week.

26. It’s our 35^th wedding anniversary! Visiting friends at the camp/cottage that used to belong to my aunt and uncle. I spent a lot of time there when I was young. It’s the only place I can still go to where my dad has also been.

27. My husband went fishing to a remote lake with a friend who has a float plane. I’m doing some crafts with the kids. He came home with ten fish.

28. Visiting my dad’s gravesite and then spending the day at my cousin’s house on a lake. My son-in-law kindly touched up his name on the tombstone. I’ll post a picture. We didn’t have time to do the dates; maybe next time. My daughter wanted to go water skiing. There were three generations there: cousins, second cousins, and third cousins. Should have taken a picture.

29. Last day at the cottage. Lots of fishing and campfire and packing.

30. Travel day.

31. So. Much. Laundry.