January 27, 2023

The month of January has gone quickly, as have the last months since Tom’s passing and I am grateful that time is not dragging by because that would make things even harder. I have been busy and that pushes me and time forward.

I hit a milestone this week! I had a list of business affairs that needed to be taken care of as a result of Tom’s death. Tesla slowed their part up considerably and it took me until this month to get the lease just in my name. We never had leased before - just bought cars for cash  - and I will never lease again. Tom thought it would make the servicing easier. Tesla was extremely confusing and difficult but it is done. However, the last thing on my list was getting our home transferred to my name alone. We had it in both our names. I was dreading filling out the paperwork and going to the office in New Westminster. Cindy printed the paperwork for me, I filled it out, Lincoln Harvey reviewed it (he worked at Land Titles for years), I made the appointment and drove to New Westminster this week. It took approximately 5 minutes and was done! I almost cried. Tesla took months to do something that should have also been done in minutes. The lawyer took a couple of days to change one of our companies from Tom’s name to mine. Even hard things can be done quickly. I need to pay for my own funeral services and get the headstone, which is ordered, in place and then those things will be taken care of too. There will always be business and other concerns but these, that have been most pressing, are and in the near future will be done! I can do it!

Heather called me on the 20th to tell me that our Uncle Rex had passed. He is the youngest of Grandma and Grandpa’s children and his passing closed the doors on an era. He has been in care and not well for awhile. His funeral was in Barnwell today. Joanne, his wife has not been well either and she and Tom’s Aunt Helen are our only remaining aunts - no uncles. We are left standing next in line.

Joanne and Dave are packed up and ready to fly out of Victoria today for their new home in Lethbridge. I hate to see them go and Joanne has been shedding a lot of tears. She loves her home and Victoria but felt they needed to be near children. It is a difficult time of year to be moving. I am hoping they land in their new nest safely and are happy with the decisions they have made.

I carry on with my callings in the Temple and YW and in both areas I am endeavouring to conquer my online communication challenges. Cindy drops in to assist in those efforts and in other ways. 

I am grateful for so many things and very blessed.

January 19, 2023

 I have had a week slip away without doing my blog so I am catching up now. I think I have been catching up - period - since my return from Australia and the end of Christmas season.

I have gotten back to the Temple and also taken over the duties Sandy Anvik had as coordinator for the “living ordinances” . Tom and I called Sandy to the position and oriented her, so now, with the tables turned, I have to determine if it is harder to orient to or to do the calling. I already know that doing the calling is harder. I spent part of yesterday in the Temple with David Bigler helping me get set up with rights to access TIS on the computer. The computer part of every calling is the hardest for me and I now have to commit to conquering those fears. 

We had the first fireside for our Stake YMYW with the Stake presidency speaking and us serving the youth banana splits for refreshments. Things seem to go well. I really need to get to know the youth but that will come I am sure. I missed our first ward conference visit as I had Justin and JayLynn here visiting but I have two more to attend this month and these conference visits should help me become acquainted with the ward leaders and the girls.

Tesla said my lease transfer had gone thru and that I needed to go to their downtown location to complete more paperwork. I made my way down there on Wednesday, January 11th only to find the facility to be nearly empty but I located one sweet young man who had no idea as to what the company wanted him to do for me but he was determined to help. He finally determined that they wanted to get the insurance changed and he got permission from his boss to go ahead with that detail. His insurance people took care of those things, he changed my license plates and they sent me on my way. It appears that it is now complete. I certainly hope so because it has given me anxiety as it has been a very confusing process.

I took the dog for a much needed grooming and am still working with her on potty training. I am trying to confine her to the kitchen and family room as she seems to be fine when she is in those rooms. Her favorite accident spots are the front door area and the loft.

Justin, JayLynn and Treyson flew up on the 12th to visit me and I really appreciated their kindness. I just assumed they would be coming into the Vancouver airport and set out late on that rainy day for Richmond.  Traffic was bad and I began to ponder the logistics of them coming into Vancouver rather than Bellingham. I called Cindy and she checked into things and found that Bellingham should indeed be my destination. I did not have my passport but I did have my Nexus and Cindy looked into that as well and determined I could use it to get in and out of the USA. She also messaged Justin. Now my only problem was getting turned around and I was unable to do that until I was almost to the ferries. Remarkably, I arrived at the Bellingham airport about 20 minutes after their flight landed and we got home safely. I was exhausted but luckily had made soup and scones before leaving home, so dinner was ready. We went to the cemetery the next day and to WhiteSpot so Treyson could get a “pirate pack” and then to Costco to get some things they wanted. The next day I had Temple duty and orientation to my new calling. Cindy and Paul watched the baby and dog so Justin and JayLynn could attend a Temple session. I found Camille and her husband Daylan just ready to leave the Temple and was able to connect them with Justin and JayLynn for a quick visit. That was a miracle, as Justin and Camille have always felt close as 2nd cousins and Justin was concerned about them and what they are experiencing with Presley’s cancer. We went to church on Sunday and then I kept the baby so Justin and JayLynn could go to a fireside given by Charlie Bird and another gay church member, with Cindy’s family. They were able to spend some time with Ross and Sarah at that event. I had dinner ready when they got home and Treyson was fine. Justin had spent time studying for his PT board exam while he was here too. They packed up Monday morning and I drove them down to the Bellingham airport for their return home. They are now packing up to move to Richfield, Utah for Justin to start his new job. Tammie and JayLynn’s parents are coming to help out. I so appreciated having them but I do worry about JayLynn’s health. She is very thin and cannot gain weight with her Crohn’s disease. 

I have since been cleaning up and working with puppy’s training, as well as looking at information connected to my new Temple calling. I am trying to develop skills I do not have and accomplish things I would have had Tom take care of. Oh, how I miss him! I love him so much and just work to be worthy to be with him always. 

January 4, 2023

 We are starting a New Year, leaving 2022 behind which was my last year with Tom. In some ways I am hating to let it go but in the grand scheme, Tom is moving on with me and with our family, just in a different realm. He will never be far away, this I know. There is only one reason he spent time away from us in this life and that was Jesus and there is only one reason he would ever leave us now and that is Jesus. There is only one reason I have would ever be willing to allow him to serve and be away from us then and now and that is Jesus. It is always Jesus and all about Jesus.

We returned back to Sydney on Thursday. Max drove us in the rental car as Jacqui was back at work. We had enjoyed our time in Canberra going on the beautiful drive to the beach, visiting the animal sanctuary up in their mountains and their beautiful museums. Canberra is the capital of Australia and is beautiful with their rolling hills and mountains nearby. It is their Washington DC but much quieter and Jacqui and her family were proud to share it with us. Christmas was different there as it was hot, lacking in our usual lights and decor and Northern Hemisphere traditions but we enjoyed our time. We had fun helping Max and Jacqui decorate their new little apartment with things from IKEA that I gave them as wedding gifts and Cindy gave them as Christmas gifts. It is just nice to know where they are and to be able to picture them there.

We stopped on our way to Sydney to see where Max works and finally dropped Cindy, Sam and Paul off at their hotel. They had an earlier flight out on Friday than me and were able to spend 11 hours in Fiji and meet me at the airport when I arrived later and we continued our return to Vancouver. Max and I dropped the rental car off and then stayed at a different hotel near the airport. He got me to the airport in the morning and then took a bus back to Canberra. We gained a day as we journeyed home and arrived Friday afternoon after leaving Friday morning. Ross picked us up and got us home. Thank goodness for grandchildren. Janice had Kona out when we arrived but when they finally got here, Kona was very happy to see me and didn’t want me to put her down until Janice left.

My jet lag wasn’t bad so on Saturday I picked up groceries and started making food for New Years dinner on Sunday. Sunday we attended church and I then had Ross, Sarah, Cindy, Sam and Paul for dinner. It was nice to zoom the rest of the family. On Monday I took Christmas down and cleaned the house and by Tuesday morning, when I attended the early Temple session, I was feeling tired and sleepy. Just being in the Temple brings peace and calm. Kona and I did errands in the afternoon and then Trish came to cut my hair. I took Jean and Cheyenne out for dinner last night. I slept in today and have been catching up on things this morning. Tesla has all my paperwork now and hopefully moving forward with putting the car in my name. It has been months in coming and stressful. 

Justin, JayLynn and Treyson are coming to stay the middle of the month for a few days. Justin just graduated with his Doctor of PT last month and does not start work until February. Joanne and Dave will be coming as well as they make their move to Lethbridge the middle of the month. I hate to have them go but they feel they should be near family.

The New Year is ahead and I pray for help to make it a good year for myself and those around. I start my calling as coordinator in the Temple of female living ordinances and carry on in my calling in the Stake YW presidency. Zach is to be married in June and Rissa wants me to come visit them. I am blessed in so many, many ways - my children, grandchildren, friends, family, Tom Walker and Jesus!