Good Saturday to you from snowy cold....like -36 wind chill cold Iowa this week where the people in this house are kinda over winter now. The snow was pretty.........the cozy fireplace nice............and now heading into the third week of January, I am over it. Ready for Spring! Sigh.....guess it is time to put on my big girl boots and find the gratitude in each day whether it is bitterly cold, moderately cold, or slightly cold. Cuz the bottom line is that it is gonna be cold for awhile.
Speaking of putting on my big girl boots, this coming week I head to Mayo for my annual check up with my favorite radiology oncologist. He is a gem, no doubt about it. I just filled out several questionnaires that they sent to my portal and as I was answering all the questions two thoughts came to mind. First, there has been a couple of changes with lymphedema now a big part of my daily life, and second, how very blessed I am. When you answer questions that in general make you realize how much we do have including no worries related to food or shelter or care, I can't help but be thankful. Blessed.
The big excitement this week was Joel's purchase of a new band saw. He tried to fix his decades old saw three times before searching for a small engine repair guy, but finally accepted (with my encouragement) the idea that he needed a new one. I expect I was a bit pushy on the matter....he has a hard time buying stuff for himself. He voted for cheapest, I did not. He uses it all the time and a moderately priced one came up with a good rating. He came around.....and it is now being used in the garage (even in this bitterly cold weather) and we are both happy. Me too? Yep. The old one was really really noisy and this one is safer too.
Joel and I have been taking classes with Ana Werner's healing school, learning more on healing and deliverance from different teachers who focus on this kind of ministry. It keeps us growing in our faith! We have also been watching a weekly teaching from our local church, this past one on worship in the Lutheran church. Add to that a few YouTube teachings by Liz Wright, and an old video by Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability..... and our brains are stretching.....We have also enjoyed a short series on boat excursions on the canals in Great Britain and Europe. Of course we knew there were canals in Europe, but I did not know anything like that still existed in the United Kingdom, people owning their own boats and traveling through locks, and waterways the way we travel in cars or on airplanes. You certainly see a lot more from a boat than a plane!\
Besides the teachings we watched, Joel has been playing with his new band saw and writing a bit for his new book. I have been doing a challenging (for me) puzzle, reading, walking 30 minutes a day, and baking some homemade bread besides cooking and a little cleaning.
Speaking of homemade bread, we have replaced our 2x-a-month-on-Saturday-night pancakes for the past three or more decades....I am NOT kidding.....and moved on to thick sliced homemade French toast. Sooooo good. We often eat breakfast meals for supper. Anyone else do that? Maybe yogurt (my go to breakfast), or eggs, or oatmeal, or French toast. Don't feel like cooking? Had a big meal at noon? Then breakfast will call our names. So easy!
I am thinking that it was about 10 years ago our daughter-in-law gave us her used iPad. Joel was going to use it while traveling for an Interim job. He ended up with a laptop and I used the iPad at home. I tucked it away about 3 years ago when cancer came calling again, and forgot about it. Seriously. Then I thought about reading some Kindle books again so I dug it out and charged it up and it is still working! I go to "free Kindle books" on Amazon and see what I can find. The lighthearted reading I have found have been enjoyable during January, and on an old iPad that was given to us used.....and is still working!
I expect many of us could compare ourselves to this iPad. In need of a charge to get going when the cold brings on stiffness in the joints and muscles or the need to just get under an afghan or throw and snuggle in takes over. I find walking can "charge" me..........and inspirational teachings..........and laughter.........and the retraining of the brain stuff I am still dabbling in. Lots of ways to recharge. And lest I forget the lessons God is sending me sometimes plain ol' rest recharges us. But I know for me, writing absolutely recharges me. I come alive when I am "talking to others" with my keyboard. Recently a family member shared that they have taking up painting in retirement! How great is that! Another way to recharge.....love it. How do you recharge?
So, today I am grateful for the ways I can recharge, for phone calls from friends and family, for texts, for laughter, for teachings that take us out of our comfort zone and stretch our minds. Grateful for French toast made with homemade bread, for getting back to 30 minutes walks, for Joel's new band saw, for an iPad gift that still keeps giving, for music from Alexa, for free Kindle books, for exploring England through the canals, for Joel, our family, and friends...........and so much more!
Enjoy your weekend!
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