November 30, 2022

 I missed the previous week, so this blog post will cover the last two weeks.

 I have gotten all my outdoor and indoor Christmas decorations up during the last two weeks and I received the children’s Christmas gifts from Hawaii and mailed the USA gifts on to them. The Hardy family got my outdoor lights up and I did the little trees by the front door. I have made my first batch of spiced almonds but need more Costco nuts to make some more. The tree and I almost toppled over as I was moving it, but I made it and it looks beautiful, even Sayde complimented me.

Liza and Sayde made a quick trip down last weekend  in order for Liza to attend the Temple and both Liza and Sayde to attend a play on Saturday afternoon with the Hardy Family. Liza was not feeling well on Sunday but drove home over snow covered mountain roads. I gave her vitamin C, Tylenol and lemon, honey tea before they left and then I prayed.

We received ice pellets Sunday evening which melted enough to stick together and form a sheet of ice. Yesterday afternoon and thru the night we had a snowfall of about 7 inches. My neighbor Marie had put salt on my ice and tried to get it off my driveway. Cindy and Paul came to shovel and salt a little later and my neighbor Kirk did one more shovel in the evening. Jean and a friend shovelled the worst of the snowfall off my driveway and sidewalks early this morning. I am very blessed and people are so kind. I shovelled a patch for Kona on the back turf as she has been struggling to go to the bathroom in the deep snow that now comes up to her tummy and as a result of that, having accidents in the house.

Our dear little Deborah Acor came to visit me this week and we had a lovely visit and a good cry. She misses Tom too. Jane Komm came for lunch the last Wednesday while Ron served in the Temple and brought me lovely flowers. We have people coming and going and dear Kona tries to keep up. Jean has recovered from covid and is back to her activities and shovelling my driveway and walks.

My furnace started to sound funny the beginning of last week. David Bigler diagnosed it and I called the repair people. It completely broke down two days before the repair man came on Friday but it is up and running now, thank goodness, with the change in seasons and temperatures.

I drove Sam to work one day last week and Trish came to cut my hair. I continue with my YW calling and my Temple calling. I have been asked to replace Sandy Anvik as coordinator for the female LOWs in the new year when Sandy moves to Lethbridge to be near some of her children. I am excited to fill that responsibility but will be busy.

We are still looking for someone to care for Kona and Buddy while we are in Australia for Christmas. Cindy wants someone to come to her house and care for both dogs. We need to get that settled soon.

I am still getting all our business affairs transferred to me and Cindy and Paul came over one day to help me work on my church donations and reimbursements. My utilities are pretty well under control now and Phil and Eric have been helping me with other things. Tom did so much and he is missed in every way and on every level.

November 16, 2022

 Kona did well in the winter weather of Kelowna. We enjoyed being with the family and I really appreciated Brendon checking my teeth. I have been concerned about having them taken care of. November 11th was a school holiday and Brendon doesn’t work on Fridays so I flew out early Friday morning. Liza arrived home on Saturday.  It was a smaller plane and Kona seemed a little more concerned. I thought perhaps her ears were bothering her more. She has done well though, both flying and being at the Burgess home. 

We arrived home in time for us all to get to my parents’ cemetery  before 11 o’clock. The Hardy family then took me home, raked my leaves, put my Christmas lights up and took me to WhiteSpot for a late lunch. I am a lucky grandmother. Kona was happy in Kelowna but she was excited to be home.

I did my Temple Shift on Saturday. I helped a young girl from Bellingham go through the Temple for the first time. The Hardy family checked in on Kona. I did my tithing declaration with the Bishop before church on Sunday. Brother Chan contacted Salt Lake for me to determine how much Tom had paid in Fast Offerings and when he had stopped paying. He had remarkably paid the first four months of the year and been even more generous than I had expected. He kept doing everything he could until he just could not. He was and is remarkable. My neighbor Jean came down with covid and I made her some turkey burger soup and dropped it off at her door. Jane Komm came to visit me today while Ron served as sealer in the Temple. I made her lunch and we had a nice visit. She brought me some lovely flowers. I attended my own session at the Temple yesterday and Cory Wanner told me he felt Tom was watching over our Temple and that he felt Tom there, just for moment, yesterday. It made me cry and he apologized but no one should apologize for causing me to cry. It is part of almost every one of my days.

I am grateful for the kindness, love and support of family and friends. When difficult times come in life suddenly there is a multitude on both sides of the veil holding you up and you realize how blessed you are.

I am just praying for assistance with my pre authorized payment of some of my bills. I think they are in limbo between Tom and myself. I have faith that things will get settled. Being late with bills has not been part of our life and my faithful husband saw to that. I made sure bills were paid at the office. I am not good with online things but I am trying and trying to get my life in some kind of order but it will never totally be right until I am with Tom again.

November 9, 2022

 I am in Kelowna at the moment helping Brendon with the children while Liza is taking a course in Colorado. She has been trying to get to this particular course since covid and has finally made it there, although I am not sure if she is enjoying the whole process and the trip down was a nightmare with flight delays. The children all have busy schedules and for the most part Brendon is driving to and from their activities with them. I “hold down the Fort” as we describe my role. I get Sayde ready and off in the morning and I am here for her when she returns home on the bus, I do laundry, dishes, make lunches and cook meals. I have to drive Sayde to her tennis lesson tonight with Keaton coming along as my helper. Brendon kindly allowed me to have a dental checkup and I drove their big handicap van down to his office for that on icy roads. I took Kona in her little travel crate. I think I am getting old. I help Sayde shower and do other things. She has hit puberty early and we have discussed the need to restrain ourselves from adolescent outbursts because she has been such a sweet little girl in the past. All territory of a grandmother. I arrived last Sunday afternoon with Kona flying with me in cabin. She did well, not happy but well. She has been doing well here too and the children enjoy her except for her loud barking when they return home or come down the stairs in the morning.  We fly home early on Friday, November 11th as I have my Temple shift on Saturday and I hope to get to the cemeteries that day. Coming from Vancouver to Kelowna was like coming from fall to winter and I now feel like Christmas and even did my online Christmas shopping while here.

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We had our Stake Leadership Meeting last Wednesday evening. Sam came to stay with Kona and Paul drove me early while Cindy came later as part of the YW leadership in the Ward. I discussed “Resources” and tried to simplify the program and resources that are available as I think people are busy and have trouble dealing with all the material they have access too. I made the apple cider as my part of the refreshments. I had a zoom meeting last night with Marcy and Cathy which worked out well for me.

Once LeadershIp was over, I spent last week getting things done and preparing for my trip here. I managed to find a small pharmacy that was willing and able to give me both my 5th covid shot and my annual flu shot. The big pharmacies were out of stock or needing advanced booking for appointments. I got Kona’s flea and tick pill too. We had a big wind storm last Friday that left me without power from Friday evening until mid Saturday. I had to open the garage manually to get to my Temple shift. Cindy and Paul came to check on the dog. The time change was on the weekend too. I try hard to manage all these challenges but mis Tom and his capable know how and physical strength. Women are not meant to be alone and I just miss him, pray for him and love him. 

November 2, 2022

 I am preparing for my first Stake YW leadership meeting this evening. Cindy and Paul have to go too so I will be with them and Sam may puppy sit for me as little Missy doesn’t like to be left in her crate and she is not ready to be left alone out of her crate. I am discussing Resources available for the YW’s  Program. I probably received this assignment so I could become acquainted with the resources myself. My first inclination when I am dealing with such things is to simplify.  Everyone deals with assignments or anything in life best when things are kept simple. 

We had our Halloween TriStake Activity last Friday evening at the Christensen’s property and barn. Liza and Brendon’s ward were coming for baptisms and asked to join too. I bought the food and manned the food table all night outside by the fire. I was very cold and tired by the end of the night but I think the youth had a good time. I am just  old.  Breya couldn’t come because of work but Brendon brought Keaton and some youth down Friday for the activity and Liza and Sayde drove down Saturday morning and Bryson flew in from Edmonton to be with his family and attend a YSA conference. Brendon drove some youth back to Kelowna later on Saturday and Liza, Bryson, Keaton and Sayde left Sunday evening. I hated to have Liza driving back so late in the evening and I just prayed bfor their safety as the weather is changing with snow in the mountains. It was a busy weekend and I also worked my Saturday Temple shift. I as tired and I tend to be more emotional and miss Tom even more.

Although it is nice today, we have had some bad winds and rain and our power went out on Thursday while I was at Costco and I couldn’t get back into the garage when I got home. My car was full of food for the youth activity and I hated to leave the car with food inside out on the driveway. Power returned in a few hours and I got the car inside and plugged it in to charge. That is the one problem you have with an electric car, no power for the house - no power for the car. The power did not, however,  return to my bedroom outlets but Scott helped me correct that with pictures of and FaceTime with my breaker box. Brendon trimmed my cedar hedge and Liza helped me with some other things. Grateful for my children and for light and heat. I am trying my best to deal with things but I miss Tom on all levels.

Halloween went better than I thought it might. Kona did bark when the children came to the door (over 100 children) but she stayed back and if I held her, she didn’t bark at all. The children loved her and some wanted to pet her. By the time the fireworks were popping outside, she was exhausted and asleep on my lap so they didn’t bother her.

It has been a busy week as most weeks are but I have managed pretty well. Tears are still part of my days but that may never change, not in this life anyway. I love him and miss him so.