Dear Diary – Week 19, 2024

Tags

dear diary, dentist, family, humour, love

Dear Diary – I never thought I’d be so excited in my life to see a dentist. Or to be stabbed in the pie hole with a needle.

I’ve had something grumbling on my lower jaw since a dental cleaning in early April, and it kept growing worse. So on April 30th, I gave up and saw my dentist. I wasn’t even sure which tooth it was, but after x-rays, he assumed it was the one with a sneaky, hidden cavity. It was invisible to the naked eye and hidden behind another filling in the x-ray. He just happened to find it when he adjusted the angle to double-check.

The pain increased so I was relieved to see him on Thursday. Being “frozen” is no fun, but it did offer sweet relief. That cavity cost me most most of a perfectly good tooth but I was glad the problem was solved. He gave me antibiotics, just in case.

However, once I “thawed”, the stabbing, aching, throbbing pain was back. Ice packs helped. I got so sleepy in front of the t.v., I would have stayed on couch all night but Boopy-Doo (aka Angus) felt a desperate need to chug at his water bottle. And the fan I turned on to dampen the sound, rattled like a skeleton in Scoopy Doo cartoon! I curled up in my bed instead, and prayed.

It seemed better on Friday morning and I knew an insult like that could take some time to settle down.

I shouldn’t have tried to tough it out. By evening, I was completely miserable. Youngest Son had to do the dishes and cook dinner. I managed only a few bites. It was a long night and I contemplated driving myself to the hospital, but that meant moving, which would only make it worse.

I left my dentist an urgent message at 8:59 a.m. and called again at 10. Could I come at 2:40? Ah…does buttered toast always land face down?

I was weak, exhausted and unshowered, so Hubby had to drive me. One look at my pasty white face and defeated demeanour, the dentist could see I was in serious trouble. It became even more obvious when he barely touched the tooth and I recoiled in pain, screaming! I proceeded to curl up in the fetal position, hand on mouth, groaning and rocking.

Since the tooth was twisted to the side and completely not functional (i.e., didn’t help me bite or chew), he recommended just pulling it. Which is exactly what I had seriously and deliciously contemplated in the wee hours of the night.

First he wanted an x-ray. Which wouldn’t seem like a big deal, except that I was still writhing in his chair. And I have a tiny mouth. The assistant made 5 attempts to shove electronic devices into my pie hole, bumping the sore tooth from time to time, unapologetically. She eyed me coldly like I was being a big baby, and I wanted to punch her. I’m not proud of that, but days of hellish pain, starvation and sleeplessness was changing me!

I was the last appointment of the day and that turned out to be a good thing, because my body was completely uncooperative. The dentist kept assuring me we had lots of time to make sure I was very frozen. Having used only one syringe to numb me for the filling on Thursday, we were completely baffled when it took 8 syringes, in various locations in my mouth and jaw, to almost freeze it. I say almost, because it never did. I could apply slightly more pressure than before, but that searing pain like a sharp needle jabbed straight down and deep into the bone never left. Since we were starting the third episode of Big Bang theory, I decided it was now or never. I didn’t endure all those needle jabs to go home without an empty socket. This tooth was coming out if he had to sit on me and pull.

Yes, it hurt. But not as unbearably as I feared. Yes, it took a really long time to come out. He “stirred and stirred” my tooth like he was making a silky, smooth batter. Every now and then he’d stop, not so much for me, but for his aching arms. I heard bone snapping and I prayed that it wouldn’t break before he was finished. But eventually, it happened. The dentist won.

He showed me my tooth, shaped almost like an hour glass figure, with a curvy bulbous hip that made it harder to “pop” out. At the tip, hung a little pink sack of infection. Otherwise the tooth had no filling, no cracks. It was perfect.

I crawled into bed while Hubby picked up my heavy duty narcotics. I was exhausted but unable to sleep. Dinner was compliments of Chef Boyardee and after hours of starvation, it was mighty fine. My ice pack became my new best friend, but even it couldn’t abate the pain. Neither did the 2 prescription painkillers I was on. Why do things always hurt the most after midnight?

I liked my Tylenol 3s. Sure, they didn’t really do the trick, but I knew they offered me what Extra Strength could not. Hope. My friend told me “T3s are purely to entertain the caregiver as you stagger around”. She was not wrong. They did.

We shipped Youngest Son out on Tuesday. I messaged a friend in my hometown to see if there was any possibility his employer was hiring. He gave me instructions and names. That evening, Hubby met my folks halfway between our homes and “delivered the package”. Dad and Youngest Son have been delivering resumes every day since. Youngest Son may not be “happy” about it, but he won’t express his unhappiness to them, like he would to me.

Fingers crossed.

It’s been a rough few days since, the pain and swelling taking an eternity to dissipate. I’m slowly recovering my strength, but getting sick of oatmeal and yogurt. I showered one day – that was a highlight. My desires for tea and Minecraft are returning slowly too, and today (drum roll please), I got dressed. It’s a good thing.

I cleaned Angus’ house daily, but our house seriously needs attention. Hubby and Youngest Son have pitched in some. Youngest Son spent an hour on the weekend tackling quite a pile of dishes. Hubby cooked. He also got groceries (for a few days until I felt better). The fridge is nearly empty; the laundry pile overflowing. They tried, but at the risk of sounding sexist, they’re guys. Even together, they could never equal a Mom.

My nickname is Mom, but I also go by Mother, Mo-om, Honey, Jenn, or Jee-nn.
It’s often followed by “could you”, “where is the”, or “what’s for dinner”.

Dear Diary- Hubby has been getting home later and later from work. Usually traffic is to blame. Either it made him late in the morning, or slowed him down in the evening. It is tempting to complain about it, but, he does come home.

We were talking on the phone the other evening when he got slowed down by an accident. There was a motorcycle lying on its side…and someone performing CPR on a person. I’m praying that story had a happy ending because I know it doesn’t always.

It’s why I insisted after we got married that when we say goodbye, no matter how angry we might be, how soon we’d see each other, or who was listening nearby, we’d always end with “ I love you”.

Hubby used to think it was kind of silly, but with a few years behind us and a few losses too, it doesn’t seem so silly anymore. Sure, it sometimes rolls off our tongues without a great deal of thought, but it was said. Sometimes it has rolled off my tongue at the end of a phone call to a friend. It was awkward…. But why shouldn’t I tell my friend I love her? My boss…maybe not such a good idea. I don’t think I ever have….? My friend absentmindedly called her boss “honey” once and was mortified. He just laughed.

I wanted to cheer Hubby up so I called again when I thought he was almost home. I cheerfully announced, “fries are done”. To which he replied, “ Great! I’m in the driveway. Love you!”.

Dear Diary – I watched a “Fashion DYI” on a talk show (which I never watch) and they showed me how to make a pair Balenciaga earring. It’s literally a round shoelace tied in a big bow and attached to a post. Balenciaga sells them for $345 a pair. I wonder how much I could get?

Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness, simply didn’t know where to shop.
Bo Derek

Dear Diary – Week 18, 2024

Tags

birthday, dear diary, family, flowers, food, humour, pets, roses

Dear Diary – I celebrated my birthday this week, and I am thankful I do not have as many wrinkles as Angus!

Angus’ bath continues to be part of our nightly ritual, as well as giving him his antibiotics. He enjoys the bath, or at least tolerates it once he stops “air swimming” to get there. He still sneaks drinks when he thinks I’m not looking. I can’t imagine elderflower & lemon Epsom salt tastes very good. And relieves himself with a wicked smile on his lips.

Sometimes we have intimate conversations.

As for the antibiotics, he continues to evade me like a tiresome toddler. Unfortunately, while his “turtle behaviour” has increased and his appetite has not decreased, I’m not sure they are doing much to heal the problem. Time will tell!

After having overdone it the weekend before, moving Youngest Son home from college, my chiropractor was able to set me on the road to healing. I needed more rest but there’s “no rest for the wicked”. Or is the weary? With guests coming to help me celebrate, I needed to vacuum up the chip crumbs and exorcise the dust bunnies, even the ones under my bed.

Eldest Son and his girlfriend arrived Friday evening and I stayed up way past my bedtime. They were up and out of the house before me, to have breakfast with a friend. The original plan was for them to make me waffles for breakfast. I even laid out everything they would need to do so. Since they had eaten out, it was mid-afternoon before we dined on homemade waffles with strawberries and homemade apple sauce (which I made to save time). While they cooked, I also folded laundry. “No rest”, remember…

We played part of a game of Airport before they “flew” home. D&D Night waits for no man…or kobold.

I needed a quiet evening and good night’s sleep anyway. I had to be at church early.

While I didn’t get a lot of “rest”, I did take some time for fun. On Friday, my girlfriend and I slipped away to get our nails done. I picked pink nail polish because I planned to wear pink on Sunday.

It’s my third manicure and I felt just as awkward as the first time. I sat next to a woman with 1″ nails. Her plastic nails were already secured when I arrived, and it took the whole hour I was there, to shape them and flatten the ends. While the manicurist filed away beside me, the manicurist on the other side was grinding off perfectly shaped and painted purple nails on the woman next to me. I can only imagine how much plastic dust I inhaled while I was there.

I have often envied women with perfect locks and nifty nails, but never felt I could invest so much time and money into my own appearance. Or course, there were times when I didn’t even have the money to invest! I’m not judging these ladies. I just think I’d rather paint the town and enjoy a beautiful day outside a salon.

I’d be lucky to keep perfect nails this nice for longer than 24 5 hours.

While these ladies stared at their phones in the salon, my friend and I went to our favourite place for tea and conversation.

Monday birthdays kind of suck. Maybe because Monday is often such a blah day. The whole week stretches before you, filled with possibilities…like having to work late. Which Hubby has had to do lately. It’s also too early to get excited about the upcoming weekend. Monday is just not really a “party” kind of day.

So we started the party on Sunday. Just in case Hubby was stuck at work (and since I did not feel like driving an hour to pick up my own dinner), I suggested we pick up lunch after church. The bonus wasn’t just amazing food that I didn’t have to cook…the portions are large enough that I can eat the second half the next day. No cooking on my birthday! I enjoyed cheese cappelletti and garden salad…twice!

I started the day with a surprise from Eldest Son. He Ubered me a strawberry and cream crepe, and hot tea for breakfast. I meant to share it with Youngest Son, honestly. But it was so good…

My folks were part of the party as well, driving up (with cookies) for a few precious hours to take me to lunch. Oh, and Youngest Son too! We went to Cora’s, where I enjoyed a savoury crepe with egg and bacon.

Who says you can’t have crepes twice?

Hubby did not want to be outdone, so he brought home a decadent chocolate cake and beautiful roses. I feel like I ate my way through this birthday but what a smorgasbord of delights with which to do it.

But not the roses. I didn’t eat the roses!

It’s been a relatively quiet week otherwise, dear diary. Youngest Son is job hunting and for anyone who has ever looked for a summer job, you know that’s a full-time job. The news may be reporting a high rate of job vacancies and the lack of bodies to fill them, but I don’t where they’re looking.

The days of pounding the pavement with resumes tucked into envelopes is behind us. Everything is online. And very impersonal. AIs now filter applications so the rejection arrives within minutes. Or never arrive at all. Just starting out, Youngest Son lacks many of the qualifications sought, even if he’s more than competent to do the job. Without any personal contact, there’s no way to explain that.

Student Youth Centers seem to no longer exist. That’s how I got the stellar job of delivering tickets for the travelling wrestling match. I had to work out of a hotel room with a guy who looked like Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons. The lady from church who lived across from the hotel saw me coming and going at different times and must have thought I had joined the world’s oldest profession. It probably wasn’t the worst job I ever had, but it certainly feels like the weirdest.

We’ll keep pounding the keys on the ‘Net!

I have a tooth that’s bothering me so I reluctantly saw the dentist yesterday. He’s torturing me dealing with the problem this afternoon.

I should probably be worrying about shedding all the birthday treats but instead, I’m taking some time to stop and smell the roses.

“Take time to smell the roses. Appreciating the little things in life really can make all the difference.”

Andy Puddicombe

Dear Diary – Week 17, 2024

Tags

birthday, classic cars, college days, college stories, dear diary, driving, family, friends, grief, humour, photography, spider, squirrel, squirrels

Dear Diary – I needed caffeine Saturday morning (and a guardian angel), but since I had to drive for an hour and a half on a 6 lane highway, with only one one service center, I could not consume liquids. Instead I made tea and took it along for the ride.

We talked to Youngest Son Thursday evening and the residence still had not replied to his application to remain there for the summer. Without being able to take any courses, staying seemed like a waste of money. To us. Youngest Son was okay with not coming home.

But without approval, he was out of options. He had to be out by 11 a.m. Saturday morning.

We had limited options for getting there. Initially, I thought Hubby and I could travel together in two cars, in case we couldn’t stuff it all in one. I had already notified my group I might not be able to join them. But Hubby had an appointment on Saturday (which he didn’t put on the calendar) and it was too late to move it. And he didn’t want to cancel.

Plan A had been that I drive up and back on both Friday and Saturday. But I didn’t relish the idea of 6 hours in a car broken up by packing and hauling boxes to the car.

Plan B made more sense. I would leave early, and Hubby would join me as soon as he finished his appointment, which our amazing chiropractor kindly agreed to move earlier. The only downside to Plan B was that I would be alone, and I have never driven there…alone.

With my heart in my mouth, I set out early. Yes, I had the map on my phone. But, my phone wasn’t talking to me. I didn’t know how to make it speak. I didn’t know how to make the screen stop turning black. So essentially, I was driving by memory.

And my memory isn’t quite what it used to be.

I arrived by 9:30 and only had to call twice, 5 minutes apart, to rouse Youngest Son from his slumber to come and let me in! I was shocked at the state of his room. Everything he owned was neatly stacked or packed against the wall of his room. He had stayed up until the wee wee hours of the morning to complete the job! I could have slept in.

Like his friend, who lives in the window.

We finished packing and had just started to load the car when Eldest Son and his girlfriend arrived. They were our temporary “storage” until Hubby arrived.

We did all this in the snow. We were promised a warm and sunny weekend. Someone lied!!

I have trained my boys well. They have learned to pack a car like it a Tetris Master, shifting odd shaped items and using every available nook and cranny to maximize the space. Amazingly, all the original stuff fit, plus the office chair and assorted other stuff that trickled up through the year, with the exception of a tower fan and 1 bin of frying pans. Having watched me successfully pack 3 adults, a baby, craft crap, luggage, diapers, baby crap and a pack ‘n play crib in a Toyota Echo hatchback, Eldest Son was confident that if we had to make the extra fit, it could be done.

Lucky Hubby arrived minutes after everything was out. Youngest Son bid adieu to his room mates and the family headed to Johnny Fresco’s for Lord of the Ring Burgers. This cheeseburger also has an onion ring and a fried egg. I didn’t think I’d be able to taste the egg, but I did! And it was very, very good!

Plus…they had Pop Shoppe!

It was spitting tiny Styrofoam balls as we headed down the highway. It was a short trip…5 minutes in, Youngest Son realized he didn’t hand in his keys. He never did get a working key for his mailbox.

The rest of the trip was slow but unremarkable. Hubby went ahead to do some errands, and we headed home, where Youngest Son and I unloaded everything in the Hall, and after swapping laundry loads (yes, I threw laundry in before I left), we collapsed on the couch.

I stayed collapsed on the couch as much as possible for the next few days. I hurt my back. The couch was better than the place where it finally seized: reaching for something inside the fridge.

Youngest Son got an email Wednesday evening. His application to remain in residence for the summer was accepted!

Dear Diary – I’m actually thankful I had a doctor’s appointment last week. Her staff noticed my health card was about to expire! I checked. So was my driver’s license! Both are renewed, and since I was on a roll, I got new bank card. I’m fed up with it being “declined”, having to punch in my PIN twice because it was “wrong”, or being told I was exceeding my “spending cap”. A $2 cup of tea at Tim’s in a 48 hour period should not exceed my non-existent spending cap! I’ve been to the bank several times to complain about this wonky card and been fed ridiculous excuses. I must have been exuding confidence because it was replaced with no questions asked!

This week, Youngest Son and I also got our hair trimmed and our passport photos taken. Now we just have to make sure we do the paperwork and complete the job! Unlike last time…

Dear Diary – I have fabulous parents who have always supported my (reasonable) dreams. Or in this case, could be feeding my recent addiction to fabric. When they were on vacation, they picked me up some new fabulous fabric. Thank you!

Dear Diary – Auntie M found the perfect birthday card for me to give my friend. She’s never met my friend, but she’s heard enough “adventure” stories to know this was just like us!

Happy birthday friend!

Dear Diary – This week’s recipe was Salmon filets for Hubby. Even though my allergy test indicated I’m not allergic to fish, I still don’t like it. And I’m not sure it likes me.

I will say, it smelled amazing!

Dear Diary – There’s nothing quite like being treated like you’re invisible. Hubby did some shopping with me and I was trying to urning the cart. The motion sensor couldn’t sense me and the door wouldn’t open. I tried waving and dancing, but it wouldn’t budge. I was contemplating a little samba, aware that they were people watching me from inside their car, when Hubby came over to tell me I was “doing it wrong”. Is it possible to walk up to an automatic door the wrong way? Now I’m invisible and confused.

Dear Diary – It seems now that Youngest Son is home, all the punch buggies (aka VW Beetles) are coming out of hibernation. Good thing we don’t actually punch each other because I’d be black and blue. Youngest So’s nickname could be Eagle Eyes.

I should have known something was up when I came home from band practice years ago, and my brother and his friend were grinning like idiots! Which wasn’t much of a stretch. My brother asked me if I wanted to see his new poster. Then his friend unrolled it and my brother started smacking me furiously. It was a poster with over a dozen VW Beetles.

Well played.

Dear Diary – I think there’s a spider in my car, or maybe it was just the sunlight hit the silky strands. At first, I thought the webs were outside the car, shimmering along the bottom edge of the front window. But they didn’t disappear when I ran the wipers. So I stretched out my tiny T-Rex arms and made contact with my fingertips. Despite my best efforts, I have not been able to locate the spider.

Maybe I should ask Eagle Eyes to look for me.

Dear Diary – The weeks are passing quickly and I had every intention of visiting my friend and neighbour soon. But between appointments, family issues, holidays, and illnesses, it never quite happened. We touched base from time to time, and agreed it would happen soon. We both looked forward to sipping tea in her garden in the warmth of the sun.

Someone knocked on the door today. I usually don’t answer. I don’t want to buy whatever they are selling. But something niggled in the back of my mind and I peeked out the upstairs window. There was an unfamiliar car in the driveway and then I saw my friend’s husband. I raced down the stairs with a sinking feeling.

He was glad to see me. He didn’t know my last name or where I lived, except that it was nearby. He drove to the church where I used to work to see if they could help him. He wanted me to know my friend had passed away.

She was a lovely lady, thoughtful, generous, and always an encouragement. She rarely missed a blog post. We joked about our canes and talked about our backyard birds. We shared our love for creating art and telling stories. I’ll miss her very much.

Sometimes later becomes never. Do it now.
Unknown

Dear Diary – I understand.

Sometimes you just have to sit down in the middle of whatever you doing and just….be.

Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and the shadows will fall behind you.
Walt Whitman

What’s In My Cup: Four O’Clock EB Tea

Tags

#whatsinmycup, food, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea review, tea time

It’s always 4 o’clock somewhere, therefore it’s always time for tea.

This morning I started my (late) morning by steeping a pot of loose leaf Four O’Clock English Breakfast Tea. I couldn’t find much information on the company, Four O’Clock, but it is a Canadian company based in Montreal and they offer an assortment of Organic Fairtrade black, white, green and herbal teas.

They recommend using 1 tsp of tea leaves to 1 cup of water…but who has time to measure when you’re making your morning pot. So I used what I thought was necessary, and quickly discovered I had underestimated the amount required for a decent cup. And while it had the malty bitterness of a traditional English Breakfast blend, I actually found it kind of wishy-washy. I will add, however, that my friend passed on this box of tea and I have no idea whose cupboard it came from or how long it had been stowed there. Stale tea will always taste wishy washy so while it was in a sealed package, I have no idea if that’s what happened.

But…it’s tea. And it’s Monday….

…nd it paired really well with French toast made with Chocolate Panettone.

Yes, that’s it! Said the Hatter with a sigh, it’s always tea time.
Lewis Carroll

Dear Diary – Week 16, 2024

Tags

cheese, dear diary, driving, family, food, health, humour, pets, sewing

Dear Diary – In 1955, The Platters sang “Sweet sixteen and never been kissed, my teenage queen, I can’t resist kissing you”. Here we are at Week 16 and in my part of the world, so far this year, Mother Nature has kissed us with sun, cloud, rain, freezing rain, ice, wind, flurries, hail, sleet, snow blizzards, and a spectacular full solar eclipse. The temperature yo-yo-ed so much our shorts are now hanging in the closet with our flannel shirts.

This week, we’ve mostly been blessed with April showers, and I’m beginning to see flowers. I have one mini daffodil smiling at me from the back garden. I’ll take rain over what we had in 2022: snow! Sure, we live in Canada. And, sure, it’s not that uncommon to see snow in April. Our A/C unit was installed in the snow in early May over 22 years ago. Still, the flurries prompted a flurry of photos and expletives on Facebook. As a nation, we may be divided on many issues, but we were united in this: We were done with winter!

The birds are furiously chowing down at the feeder and it’s getting darker. We may be in for something gross! I hope it’s not snow…

Dear Diary- I suggested Hubby could support me by sharing some of my business posts on his Facebook page. After all, his circle of friends is slightly different from mine. So he did…and he called me 10 minutes after he did.

My new cat bag was sold!

That sale to his co-worker sparked interest and I made a further sale: a knot bag and 2 little bags for game pieces!

Dear Diary – I really thought Angus was on death row. I’ve noticed him moving around less and when I spotted blood and heard him whimpering one afternoon, I knew something was up. I had an appointment for Friday that got moved to Saturday. Saturday morning I was an emotional mess as we had what could be our finally cuddle.

Angus objected as usual.

That emotion continued to spill over in the Vet’s office but he understood. Angus may be a curmudgeon, but he’s my curmudgeon. He does have some sort of infection on his feet but not as bad as I feared. I have continued with the epsom salt baths in the evening and he seems to really enjoy it. He relaxes as soon as the first foot hits the warm water. Sometimes he pees. Sometimes he makes that face like he’s going to poo, and if I ask him if that’s what he’s doing, he chatters his teeth at me. I guess he wants his privacy.

I’ll try to take a photo for next week.

I suspect he’ll be a handful when I have to get him take his antibiotics and reasoning with him is like reasoning with a two year old having a full-on meltdown. But I will persist. I want my curmudgeon around a little longer…even if he won’t cuddle.

No touching!

Dear Diary – One Great pottery Throwdown contestant introduced us to her sheep, who she named “mint sauce”. What a wonderfully weird name! It’s right up there with a fish named “Sushi” and a cat named “Stupid”.

Dear Diary – I’m meeting with my family doctor to find out if my medication is impacting my bone health. I know that gentle weight bearing exercises would be beneficial.

I told my husband I lifted weights today.

He replied, “to dust under them?”.

Dear Diary – Youngest Son texted on Monday morning, frustrated (again!!) with his college and their inept website and lack of staff to answer questions…not just in t timey manner but ever.

He had hoped to register for a few classes over the summer to lighten his load in the Fall. Three adults have searched at various times to find the informaton for when and how to do this. He found something that said April 15. But it turns out registration was in February. He’s out of luck.

He’s already applied for residence for the summer, which is an expensive way to spend the summer without courses or a job. He doesn’t know if he’s been approved for residence and if not, we have to move him out by 11 a.m. Saturday. It doesn’t matter that we live almost 2 hours away or that his final exam is Friday evening.

I think he should cut his losses, apply to another college and transfer what he can!

And all just as he was starting to make friends and leave his room.

I was so looking forward to releasing the stresses of school life, having suffered endured 3 decades worth of stupidity and politics (don’t they go hand in hand?) but apparently I have yet to earn my rest.

Pray for us. We need patience. We need wisdom. And come Saturday morning, we may need lots of caffeine!

Dear Diary – I was driving behind a school board van today and I objected to his driving logic. He drove 10 km under the speed limit in the school zone, presumably for safety reasons, but then he barely slowed for the stop sign and turn streaked left without signalling!

Dear Diary – Spring is in the air or is it love? I’m noticing lots of frisky squirrels frolicking in the yard and trees. And I heard a cat yowling for a mate this morning.

My parents have a mourning dove that is also part of the dating scene. It’s been sitting on their car side mirror and flirting…with it’s reflection. Sadly, it’s not making time.

It’s also not making friends with my folks because it’s relieving itself profusely while it’s courting!

Dear Diary – It’s no wonder people struggle with English. We’ve started watching t.v. with the closed captioning on because sometimes one of us (not me!) has trouble hearing. But the closed captioning is also a source of amusement. This week we laughed over someone struggling to bake their apple and camel pie (i.e., apple and caramel), while another contestant was talking about where his fate rests and it transcribed it as “my fake breasts”.

Dear Diary – I’ve been terrible at keeping up with my New Year’s Resolution to try new recipes. I did, however, attempt pork chops again in the air fryer using Skinny Taste’s cooking instructions. I breaded them with own concoction of panko, herbs and spices , and they were pretty good.

Yesterday, I didn’t sleep well so I slept in and then spent the rest of the day feeling at least 5 hours behind. I never did get to the pile of dishes or the laundry. I did, however, go with my friend for her third attempt to get her medication. She has had 2 very expensive self-injector devices fail. Thank goodness the third time was the charm!

After her appointment she asked me if we could go somewhere so she could get a pizza. So we did, and I decided I was going to be home so late, I might as well buy a pizza too.

Obviously I was too tired to make clear and rational decisions. I confused non-dairy cheese with lactose-free cheese, so my excitement was unwarranted. Non-dairy cheese is all kinds of wrong! It doesn’t melt well and what did melt was best described as “tasteless, gummy goo”. Non-dairy or vegan cheese is either plant, nut, veggie oil, coconut oil, or soy based. It’s supposed to be less fatty than moo cheese and contain more B12.

Hubby has decided my homemade pizza is significantly better than Pizza Pizza (I could have told him that). And I’m sorry, but for us, that cheese had better come from something that bleats or moos!

Sweet dreams are made of cheese
Who am I to diss a brie?
I cheddar the world and the feta cheese
Everybody’s looking for stilton.

Unknown

What’s In My Cup: Lavender Tulsi

Tags

#whatsinmycup, flowers, food, herbs, photography, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea photography, tea review, tea time, wellness

I hate Mondays!

Garfield

It was lovely to get a surprise text from Youngest Son early this morning, but unfortunately, it wasn’t good news. He had come up with a Plan C for the summer and began the process to make it happen.

It’s not going to happen!

His plan was to stay in residence and knock off a few courses, ones coming up and ones he messed up. But when he went to register for the Summer today (which was the date given in an email…but I’m concerned he misread), everything was full, closed and had no waiting list. Finding information and next steps is virtually impossible in this institution’s horrendous website. He was pretty discouraged.

So instead of tackling the weekend dishes and bathing Angus, my skinny pig, I spent the morning on the phone and on my knees, talking it through with Youngest Son, and my Heavenly father.

We made plans but there is still work to be done and some tough decisions need to be made. It might also involve a tragically early trip to move him out of residence…(and just when he was making friends)!

I reminded Youngest Son that God has a plan and sometimes He allows rough seas and defeats to grow us and refine us. Some day he’ll see how it all fit together in his journey.

I know he’s still stressed. I’m stressing with him in spirit.

Which is why, now that the day is half over, I settled down for a quick lunch and a calming cup of Lavender Tulsi tea by Stash Tea. It is caffeine free, with only 2 ingredients: lavender and tulsi leaves.

Lavender is an herbaceous shrub and part of the mint family. It’s rich purple flowers bloom in the summer. These aromatic petals are often used beauty products and knicker drawer sachets, but it can also be used in baking or distilled to produce essential oils. Lavender can help relieve stress, ease headaches improve mood, promote restful sleep, prevent infections, reduce inflammation, and ease bloating. Tea is probably the best way to ingest it. However, it should not be given to developing children because it can affect hormone levels.

Tulsi, or holy basil, is a sweet and aromatic herb thought to relieve anxiety, stress, acne, and respiratory issues such as the common cold. It may also reduce inflammation and pain, and boost the immune system. Normally, it’s used as an oil or tea because it has a bitter flavour.

The explosion of flowers was very strong when I opened the sachet, and I was concerned that this would be a very flowery tea. Instead, it reminded me strongly of plain old grassy chamomile, but with a very slight peppery zing. I’m not a fan of chamomile. However, I know that inhaling the aroma of lavender is said to relieve headaches and relieve stress, so I enjoyed the aroma and the ceremony in making tea.

When your day seems topsy turvy and as stormy as can be,
there’s nothing quite as tranquil as a hot cup of tea.

Unknown

Dear Diary -Week 15, 2024

Tags

dear diary, eclipse, family, humour, nature, nature photography, photography, sunsets

Dear Diary – It’s been a weird week. We’ve had rain, heavy winds, heavy snow, sunshine, clouds, total darkness, and thunder.

I ran away for the week to visit my folks. We had a lovely day of tea and Escape to the Country, a day to shop in town and finish with tea and chocolate, and day to clean and sort all my fabric scraps.

Hubby joined me Sunday afternoon so we could witness the “once in a lifetime” total eclipse near one the cities expected to have a total eclipse. We had even purchased fashionable glasses for the occasion. That evening, Hubby and I made a “chip run” just before the store closed. There are a few things I really miss because we live in the city and I got to savour one of them on our outing: the stars! The sky was perfectly clear and those glorious jewels of the sky were on full display.

There was definitely an air of anticipation on Monday and I found it hard to focus on anything. Aunt Mary joined us for lunch and we hovered near the t.v. watching the eclipse’s progress. Hubby made a pinhole viewing box, which we used to watch the progress in our area.

As the afternoon advanced, so did the clouds. Some of them were very unusual formations. This one reminded me of an angel’s wing.

The eclipse wasn’t a complete disappointment. As the clouds flooded in, so did the cold. It was very noticeable. I needed a sweater over my sweater. To add to the ambience, a flock of grackles perched in a nearby tree, their calls a cacophony. It was extraordinary to watch the sun become a sliver.

Sadly, by the key minutes, the clouds had thickened so much, they obliterating our view. However, the light still quickly faded as if someone was dimming the lights with a switch. We were plunged into into darkness, except for an eerie yellow glow along the horizon.

We wandered around the deck for nearly 3 minutes, a few birds still twittering, before the darkness quickly lifted. The grackles had moved on before it got dark. Hubby, concerned with getting caught in heavy traffic cleared out right away. We watched what little we could see as the moon moved away. I did see the “diamond” but on the bottom edge.

Hubby texted 30 minutes after he left. He was literally walking on highway because the highway was stopped. Nothing moved for at least 15 minutes. Eventually he found out why: a dump truck caught fire. I saw the scorched road and grass on my way home the next day.

We were treated to a dramatic sunset that evening.

I think Angus and Papa have developed a bromance, mostly because treats are involved. And by treats, I mean lots of carrot sticks! Angus has never been a big greeter in the morning. He prefers to sleep until noon, much like his brother, Youngest Son. But on the mornings Papa was up early, Angus made his presence known. I swear he can tell who is moving nearby simply by the way we breath.

One reason I know he isn’t feeling well is that he’s not moving his house around much. He amused us one evening by trying desperately to get his food dish inside his igloo. I thought I was helping! I flicked the edge of the igloo so it was inside. Later, we discovered Angus tunneled under an extra blanket. He slept on it overnight and was definitely grumpy in the morning. I guess he woke up on the wrong side.

Some studies suggest that individuals who sleep less than 6 hours or more than 9 hours on a regular basis are actually at greater risk for mental and physical decline, which can lead to early death. A 2002 study showed that you can age your brain by up to seven years! My brain doesn’t need help getting any older!

It was my time to hit the highway on Tuesday and I wasn’t excited when my eyes popped up. Much too early. I think, like with Beetlejuice, we said its name one time to many and it suddenly appeared. What exactly? A tiny bird, slightly bigger than a sparrow, with a blue jacket and a white bib, and a long, smoker’s voice screech. It shrieked “phoebe” in a tone that would rival Howard Wolowitz’s Mom and in the frequency of a overstimulated toddler. Right outside my window.

So I did what any sane person would do. I glared out the window, only to note that the sun was not even over the horizon yet and I moved to the couch. I wrapped my body in a lap blanket the thickness of rice paper and shoved my bare feet in the crack of the cushions by the arm. And tried to ignore the alarm clock screaming “phoebe” outside. I was just starting to drift off when Angus decided he was dying of thirst. He must have heard me breathing because he replaced the rattle of the water bottle with polite prompts to fill his dangerously empty stomach. I got up to satisfy that calling and it was the first time, in a very long time, that he actually came over to greet me. This time he woke up on the right side of the bed.

Angus looked very car sick by the time we got home, and later I confirmed that he isn’t well. I’ve been concerned about his front toes but I think there’s an issue with his back foot. I can’t get in to see the vet for a few days so I gave him an epsom salt bath. At first, he was kind of freaked out and tried to climb out of his tupperware tub or drink the water. The second time, he was pretty chill, but I’d also given him some pain killer. He kept looking up at me as if he didn’t understand what we were doing but he trusted me. I think it’s a precious thing to be trusted by children and small animals. I have to say, he smells pretty. I don’t know what news this appointment will bring and I’m not expecting it to be good.

Plus it means another car ride.

Dear Diary – I had a dental cleaning this week. I swear she was digging for gold. I hope she found some. I could use it to pay the bill.

Dear Diary – I should go away more often. Hubby missed me. He suggested we do something after work, even a “date” mid-week. We decided to go to the Mall for dinner and window shopping. I’ll go just about anywhere if I don’t have to cook!

I dressed up in my new top, fixed my hair and put on make-up. But by the time Hubby got home, I was feeling pretty and pretty tired. He looked tired too. I suggested we could go somewhere closer to home. We ended up picking up Wendy’s French Onion burgers and strawberry Frosties, and dressing down for dinner.

I have to say, the burger tasted better than the frozen cheeseburger pizza my Mom bought. It tasted like ketchup and pickles…probably because it had pickles on it. I’m not a fan!

There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.

Kevin James

Tealish Tea

Tags

#whatsinmycup, desserts, family, food, humour, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time

Last week, I ran away from home. My hometown is half an hour from one of the predicted prime spots for today’s full eclipse. I can watch the eclipse in the back yard and avoid crowds and long lines for port-a-potties.

It’s getting cloudy but so far, we have sunshine.

And what do Mom and I do when we get together? Drink tea, of course.

After a quick shop at GT Boutique, we ventured downtown (where I had to parallel park on Main Street) and went to Elena’s, a local shop and café for Tealish English Breakfast tea and a shared Raspberry Buttercream brownie.

Both were delish!

Tealish Fine Tea is a Canadian online tea company, owned and operated by women, which began in 2005. They believe in 100% natural, vegan, and ethically sourced ingredients 100%. They also use plastic free tea bags and earth-friendly, recyclable packaging. A portion of every sale goes to support Veritree, a company that plants trees. The cost for 50g of loose leaf tea is in the medium range of David’s Tea, so a little more expensive but possibly worth it for a special occasion.

Like an eclipse. Or a holiday with Mom.

I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground

Dear Diary – Week 14, 2024

Tags

dear diary, driving, Easter, faith, family, humour

Dear Diary – Eldest Son made it home for Easter, but his girlfriend and her sister did not. She lost or had her passport stolen two days before flying home from the Dominican Republic. The irony is that we know someone who lives there and lives 5 minutes from the airport, but she is in Canada.

Thursday night, Hubby set out to pick up Youngest Son when his 10 p.m. class ended. I suggested he pick up a snack on the way home, like a doughnut. But guys being guys, they went for burgers and onion rings, while I was stuck at home with a banana. I went to rehearsal and played Minecraft at home, waiting for them. I knew I wouldn’t sleep until they were home, or if I did, I would catch just enough Zzzs to feel like the walking dead. I got my hug after midnight.

Morning came far too early. I left out the box of sad, homemade cinnamon ellipses for Youngest Son. It was a new recipe and I won’t be trying it again. They were dry and biscuit-y, very disappointing. Youngest Son liked them though, and ate them all. He’s a growing boy!

After the Good Friday service, I helped finish transforming our platform décor for Easter. It’s amazing what pool noodles, hockey tape, spray paint, coffee sticks, and craft foam can create.

Eldest Son and his girlfriend’s Mom arrived in Canada Friday evening and he called us before bedtime. He was lonely and would be down in the morning.

After he cleaned up after his cat.

The lady who was looking after Webster couldn’t find the litter box so it didn’t get cleaned all week. Webster objected by peeing in the bathtub and all over Eldest Son’s new bath mat.

He arrived in time for ribs and mashed sweet potatoes, with a lot of fragrant laundry.

Sunday morning was early too as I was serving on the worship team and Hubby was manning the cameras and streaming. But it was a beautiful service.

Before I left the house, I popped a small frozen turkey in the oven. The directions said it would take approximately 6-7 hours, and I knew the boys were leaving after an early dinner because the traffic would be heavy. The turkey smelled done when we arrived home at noon so I checked it with a thermometer. It said it was over. But when we carved it later that afternoon, the turkey was quite rare at the bone.

I had envisioned a lovely “sit down” family dinner at the dining table, but the table is still an office for Hubby (who worked at home on Thursday so he could pick up Youngest Son). By the time we had food ready, it was almost time for the boys to leave. We ended up with more of a “grab what you can that’s edible and run” meal, which honestly, is more “us” than the idyllic traditional family gathering.

I did 9 loads of laundry this weekend, between Hubby and I, both boys, Angus and Webster. I deserved my quiet evening with Minecraft and tea.

I spent Monday and Tuesday preparing for my vacation. Not to the sunny DR, but to my chilly hometown. I was looking forward to leaving the idiot city drivers behind. This week I had a white pick up truck in a hurry dash out in front of me, even though there was no one behind me. But then proceeded to slow down to a crawl and speed up a few times. I assumed he was looking for a driveway and I tried to be patient. Cars started piling up behind me. And then he stopped. In the middle of the lane. And sat!

I could see the driver…drinking.

Now I get thirsty in the car sometimes too, but I have never stopped in the middle of a lane of traffic to chug a coke. Cars flew past me and I finally pulled out to pass as well. The young male driver was indeed chugging something in a blue can. I hope it was Pepsi and not Budweiser.

I looked in the rearview mirror. Refreshed, he was turning into the next driveway.

I never suggested you were a bad driver. I’m sure that mailbox totally swerved right front of you.

Unknown

Angus and I set out in the rain, heavy rain that was already pooling in the gutters along the side roads. There seemed to be an inordinately large number of transports, some with double trailers, on the highway. So the spray combined with the rain made it an interesting trip to say the least. Surprisingly, I met very few drivers recreating chase scenes like from the TV show, Miami Vice (but on wheels). There was certainly enough water on the roads for boats. Most drivers were content to drive under the speed limit and leave space.

I did have to laugh at one silver car. They were signaling left and I wondered why they weren’t going. The lane was clear. It was because they were waiting to pull off the highway…to the right.

I remembered to pack my orange toothbrush. It’s new. Hubby got it for me because I kept grabbing his. He usually gets ready for bed before me ( because I’m tossing in laundry, putting away snacks, or tucking Angus in bed) so he puts the toothpaste on. My toothbrush was blue, but in my defence, his toothbrush has always been blue. Is it any wonder I rush in late and grab the yellow one?

Tonight Eldest Son’s girlfriend is spending her last night, poolside by the beach. I spent last p night staring at a blank t.v. because the satellite was out, listening to thunder rumbling as it snowed heavily and sideways. The birds at the feeder were confused. A lone mourning dove stood so long in the thick falling snow, he collected snow on his back. What happened to Spring? Two days ago I was outside in a t-shirt and bare feet.

I think the rest of the week will be spent drinking hot tea, watching Escape to the County re-runs, and negotiating a hostage situation…some bunny stole all the candy and is holding it hostage. I’m not sure there will be any survivors. Wish me luck!

At my age I can hide my own Easter eggs. Wait an hour, then I have no idea where I hid them.

Anonymous

Happy Easter

Tags

#whatsinmycup, Easter, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time

When the world is at odds and the mind is at sea,
Then cease the useless tedium and brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its fragrance and solace in its taste;
And the laden moments vanish somehow into space.
The world becomes a lovely thing!
There’s beauty as you see:
All because you briefly stopped to brew a cup of tea.

Anonymous