New Year

Tonight is New Year's Eve.  Doesn't seem like there is  much exciting about it for me.  I will spend the evening alone just like any other evening.

As I reflect on the last year and all that it held, I am also making plans for the new year.

I do not believe in making New Year's resolutions as for most they are empty promises to be broken.  The Scriptures teach us not to break our vows and promises.

I do hope to continue to simplify my life.  I am trying to get a handle on my eating habits to both simplify and make them healthier choices.  My lifestyle is continually being simplified.  As I get accustomed to one less thing then I will drop another.  I have cut off my sattelite dish and will rid myself of my TV when it dies.  I will not replace it.

I would also like to start blogging on a regular basis.  I guess you need to start off slow and get into the rhythm of it.

Happy New Year to all.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... it's dark outside now and was a rather dreary day.

I am thinking...of ways to eliminate the clutter and non essential items in my home

I am thankful for... my salvation through Christ


From the kitchen...nothing much today other than a german pancake for lunch.

I am wearing...red top with blue skirt 

I am creating... my blog

I am going... into town tomorrow.  It will be the first time that I've been there since the end of August.

I am reading... nothing, just finished a book last night and have not started a new one yet

I am hoping.. to find some suitable winter clothes tomorrow

I am hearing... Christian music from my cd player

Around the house... is music everywhere as I prepare Christmas music for my students.

One of my favorite things... is to read blogs about the Simple life

A few plans for the rest of the week: make some phone calls and hopefully start to clean my spare bedroom

Here is picture for a thought I am sharing... no picture today as I have not retrieved my photos onto my computer since it crashed.




To participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook go here: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ 

Benefit Concert

Last Saturday night a couple of friends held a Benefit Concert for me to help raise funds to replace my modified van which bit the dust.  Here I am receiving a check for $500 from the Lions Club.  Muxh to my surprise their help does not end here as sme of the men are actively looking for a modified van for me as well as encouraging other local service clubs to help me out as well.


The evening started off with a potluck dinner and Silent Auction.  There were many donations made for the auction and I was amazed by all.  After dinner we went upstairs for a Concert.

The concert started off with Bell Ringers from Trinity United Church.  They sounded great and the visual part was very interesting.


They were followed by Levi Denbok a local Christian youth who is writing his own songs and doing very well.

Next was my son Andrew, playing the guitar and singing his own songs.  I felt very privileged that he would drive over from Peterborough to play in the Concert.  I love you Andrew.


The evening was finished with one song by me on the flute accompanied on the piano.  I played "My Tribute".


How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me?
Things so undeserved, yet you give to prove your love for me.
The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude
All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee
To God be the glory.  To God be the Glory.


Without God none of this would have been possible.  Amen.

Thanksgiving Sunday

Today is Thanksgiving Sunday.  I was unable to go to church this morning because I do not have a van right now.  I am in a wheelchair and so need a modified van to get around.  I was reflecting on what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for the many blessings that have come from the Lord.  Most have been good and some were bad.  I am thankful for all of the good and bad.  It amazes me how many good things come from the bad experiences in life.

Tomorrow my son and his wife will be coming for dinner.  I am looking forward to this especially because they are expecting and I want to share this happy time with them.  The baby girl that Cath is carrying is one blessing that I am most thankful for.  I am so looking forward to being a grandmother.

Facebook

Social Networking seems to have become a way of living.  I am on Facebook and have been struggling with it's addictive attraction.  At first I avoided everything other than checking what everyone else had to say.

Then I let down my guard and starting "farming".  It get's pretty bad when you rush down the stairs in the morning to see how your crops are doing on Facebook.  Finally I realized how much time I was wasting and kicked the habit.  Life has been better since I retired from farming.

Now I play Scrabble with several friends.  This seems to be quite safe and not habit forming.  The only bad habit I have in Scrabble is that I win a lot of games and need to be careful not to discourage others by winning too often or by too many points.

I have found that I read the status of my friends and use that as a starting point for my prayers for the day.  It seems to be a good way to keep up with the needs of others.

I hope that as I continue to use Facebook that I can be wise in what I post and that it would always be positive and encouraging.

Stressed

Today I am stressed.  Nothing seems to be going right.  I cannot find some important papers that I need.  I discovered that I had not faxed some time related reports.


My wheelchair ran away with me into the fridge causing my right hand to be hurt.  I am already in a lot of pain and really didn't need any extra.


I was sitting waiting for my dinner to cook only to realize that the oven was not turned on.


I think I will go to bed early and hope that tomorrow will be better.

Washing Soda & Van

Well tonight I started another search for Washing Soda.  Who would have thought that a box of Washing Soda could be so evasive.  I have tried all the stores in my area and none of them seem to carry it any longer.


Then I hear from others that they can get it but I don't live there.  Grrrrrr.  Hope to solve this mystery soon as I'm out of laundry soap now and need the Washing Soda to make more.

To add to my problems my van is done.  I am in a wheelchair and so have a very expensive modified van so that I can drive from my wheelchair using hand controls.  Right now it's sitting in my driveway and is not going anywhere on it's own.  My son has started a search for a newer van and he is hoping that he and some of his friends can do the modifying themselves which would save me a bundle of money (which I don't have).


In the mean time I am housebound and cannot go out. Oh well, if I don't go out I guess I won't need clean clothes and so don't need to rush to make more laundry soap?  Not !!!

Lazy Sunday

Started today off very slowly as I slept in very late.  Too late to catch any church services and so I decided to have a lazy day at home.  Beginning to think that there might be something wrong with me as I feel rather drained most of the time and I definitely shouldn't need 12 hours sleep.  Think I'd better make an appointment to visit my doctor.

My girlfriend's son came over and took my window air conditioner out of my bedroom window this afternoon.  I'm sure I will enjoy the fresh air coming through my window tonight.

After having a lazy day it seems there is nothing to even write about.  Hopefully this coming week will be more eventful.

Happy Sunday

Rainy Saturday

Woke up this morning with a start s I realized that I had slept in and it was time for my piano students to arrive right now.  I heard voices outside as I struggled to get into my clothes as quickly as I could.  I am disabled and so can't do things as quickly as I used to.  I descended the stairs in my Stair lift and was wishing it would move faster.  Alas my students had returned home before I was able to get to the door.

They called a few minutes later quite concerned that there would be something wrong with me.  I live alone now and so it was very comforting to realize that they were just calling me and then would have returned to enter my house to see what was wrong.  They did return for their lessons and after they were done I was able to "start" my morning routine.

It is a rainy day outside.  Dark and dreary and so far I can't seem to get motivated to do much.  I cooked myself a yummy lunch of scrambled eggs fresh from the farm.  Not sure what to do with the rest of the day.  Perhaps I'll spend some more time reading blogs on the computer.  I think today would be a good day to curl up with a good book.

SIMPLE LIFESTYLE

Today is Friday and I'm off for lunch with a girlfriend.  I usually go out about once a week.  I know that I should stop doing this as it is expensive and yet it is something that really enjoy.


I am still trying to start into a simpler life for myself.  I have cut off the satellite tv and cut back on others extras.  One change I've made that I'm really happy with is I sold my dishwasher.  I enjoy doing  dishes by hand and so this has become a favourite past time for me.  There is something rewarding for me to see the drain board full of clean dishes.

SUMMERTIME

It’s hard to believe that the summer is almost half over. It seems that I have not even started a number of things that I had planned on doing this summer. Guess I’d better get a move on it or nothing will get accomplished.

We have had some very hot and humid weather that has played havoc with my asthma. I spent 2 weeks inside not able to venture out for any reason. The humidity seems to have dropped and now I can get outside and enjoy the summer once again.

New Beginnings

I have decided to try blogging. Not sure if I have anything interesting to write about, but we'll see what happens.