December 15, 2020

 We have worked this week with Erika and Richard Vernon to prepare for and film our ward musical event   SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT. The Vernons were called as our “tech” support and they are wonderful.  We met with them on Tuesday evening at the church to get some of our filming equipment and props set up and we arrived early Saturday morning at the church again to finish our set up and welcome our participants. We had each number scheduled an hour apart to maintain COVID standards and restrictions. Charmaine and Cheyenne arrived at nine to perform and film “Still, Still, Still”. Brian and Brenda Leavitt arrived at ten and read their parts. Duerichens arrived at eleven and sang “O Holy Night” (Alice on piano) and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Charlotte Law, Carol Hur (violin) and Alice Davies (piano) performed “Silent Night” at twelve and at one o’clock Anchor (violin/sing) and Joseph Tsai (piano) filmed “Guard Him, Joseph”. That concluded our musical program but we filmed Sister Senter, a missionary, playing “Joy to the World” on the piano at two, and that number will be shown at sacrament meeting on the 20th. Now it is all in the hands of the Vernons. They are editing all the clips we recorded into one complete program and we are praying for them as we know it is a big undertaking. They are adding Alice’s background music to the Leavitt’s readings. We broadcast this Saturday evening to the ward and others.

Tom talked to Dr. Collingridge on Monday and told him of his upset tummy and back pain and he agreed to let him go off the cholesterol medication for a month and see if that helps. We have decided that his back is hurting as a result of cleaning the shower daily and I have taken that responsibility over and ordered a shower cleaner on a pole to save both our backs. We are prepping for his phone visit with the dermatologist this week and his biopsy at the hospital on Friday, the 18th. His tummy has improved somewhat and his back is feeling better.

We taught Carol again this week. We have started Temple Prep lessons with her now. We took her the sacrament on Sunday and hurried home for me to zoom with the oldest primary children who are preparing to go to the Temple for the first time. I spoke to them about the Temple and the blessings of the Temple. Jack spoke to them about the blessings of the Priesthood. We took Christmas gifts and treats to Roger, Shannon Tsai, and Esther Lai’s home. They are some of our ministering people. We have also taken things to Barrobys and Carol. Esther had major surgery this week, with one of her legs being amputated. She is diabetic and really struggled thru these past years. We are praying for her and have been communicating with her children. Roger was suppose to have surgery this week too but his was cancelled. We have been working with our accountant and financial planners on some things this week too. We get our daily Walker Walk in each day but Sunday and we stay in touch with kids and grandkids.

I made orange rolls this week and more spiced almonds for Christmas. We have bought a small turkey but may cook a rolled turkey breast. We are still deciding. We are trying hard to keep our diet low cholesterol and we both are losing weight. We are trying to cook Christmas but keep it healthy.

December 8, 2020

Christmas preparations have continued as I made and we distributed my Spiced Almonds to neighbors and others. Cards are arriving and the neighbourhood is sparkling with lights. 

Tom met with George Hara again to work on family history this week and we have been working on plans for the ward Christmas musical - “Silent Night, Holy Night”. We will film it this Saturday and broadcast it on the 19th. We are beginning to teach Carol Jones the Temple Prep lessons and she is excited. We watched our Stake Conference on Sunday which was our first conference since covid began. Elder Funk was our visiting general authority who zoomed in from Salt Lake.  Paul gave a good talk and Max received the Melchezidek priesthood which is a blessing and a miracle. Paul conferred the priesthood on him with Ross’ assistance. We zoomed in, as did the Hardys and Jacqui. Very special. 

We took Tom to the Urologist on Friday and he has put Tom’s name in for a biopsy of his prostate which hopefully will occur in the next week or so. The children are wonderful and are praying and concerned. Trevor wanted to pay for us to come to Nashville for Christmas so Tom could get tests done more quickly. Cindy looked into clinics here where we can pay to have tests done more rapidly. We talked to Doctor Collingridge yesterday and he feels we should get the biopsy done and then go from there with further testing. Tom’s tummy and back have been hurting and we felt it may be from the new cholesterol medication he has been taking so we stopped it and Dr. Collingridge agreed with our decision. We are praying. Tom is missing the Temple both spiritually and physically. He has such a connection.

Covid restrictions are not being lifted until the new year here in B.C. so zooming and distancing continue and we will be on our own for Christmas as we were for Thanksgiving. The first vaccines started being given in the UK today. They are starting with people over eighty. They say this is by no means the end and we are all waiting to see if the vaccines seem to be safe.

We walk everyday but every Saturday we do a special walk to the Temple. We want to see the Temple and we  want to see how the new perimeter fence is coming. Tom worked so hard with his presidency to receive approval for this fence to be built and it makes our hearts sing to see it moving forward, as well as the front ditch filled and a new sidewalk in its place.

December 1, 2020

Here we are into the month of December. We had anticipated that this would be a Christmas spent in the mission field at the London Temple but we are home, with no idea as to when or if we will be able to return to England but we are still hopeful. Vaccines for covid will start being given in England this month but Canada is still several months out. Trevor says there should be caution used as the vaccines are being rushed and we are still uncertain of the long term affects. Perhaps it is best that we are not the first country  to receive them. Seniors will be at the head of the list when they do become available.

We are moving forward with plans for our Willoughby Ward Christmas musical. The Abbotsford Stake broadcast their program last Saturday and, though only 19 minutes long, it was lovely. The Bishopric have called Richard and Erika Vernon to help us film and put our program together. We will be filming on Saturday, December 12th and then broadcasting on December 19. We have excellent people performing so hopefully things will go well. We will have people enter into the Chapel only with their performing group, film them and then have them leave before the next group come into the building. We will maintain covid protocol.

We met with Carol again on Thursday for our gospel discussion and took her the sacrament on Sunday. We received permission from the Bishop to teach her the Temple Prep lessons and we are looking forward to doing that. She is very excited to learn as much as she can. We zoomed with the missionaries on Thursday, with Mike Swan interviewing us about being a Temple President and Matron. We just answered Mike’s questions and hoped that the missionaries enjoyed it. Toese gave a zoom fireside on Sunday about Samoa. It was well done and we love her. I have worked on family pictures again for our Family Search site. We returned to Port Coquitlam Costco to pick up our Christmas cards and we have completed and mailed most of them. We also sent money off for our children’s Christmas. We concluded our #GiveThanks week that President Nelson suggested. We really enjoyed considering what things we were grateful for and posting daily, along with reading everyone else’s positive posts. I think it gave everyone a needed lift. So our week has gone with more leaf raking and work being done around our home. We are grateful for each other, for our home and for things to keep us busy. We try to help others as much as we can and often, these days, that is only with our prayers. Our prayer list is very long.

We are grateful for our children and their regular contact with us. Our American children celebrated Thanksgiving this past week. Trevor’s family stayed at home in Nashville and Rissa’s family celebrated in Montana, after they realized they would have to isolate for two weeks when they got back from their planned Utah trip. Justin, JayLynn and Jadyn went down to Enterprise, Utah to be with the Holt family. The government in the USA were pleading with people to forego travel and stay at home in order to limit the spread of covid. We will see what happens in the next few weeks.

We are still awaiting Tom’s visits with two specialists. He has an in office visit with the one doctor on Friday and a phone visit with the other in a couple of weeks. We are praying and fasting that things go well. We are doing our best to eat low cholesterol to help get his cholesterol down and we are losing weight but still eating pretty well. We do love our food. 

November 24, 2020

 On Friday, November 20th President Nelson gave a short talk and suggested that a cure for some of our ailments at this time, was to seek to develop an attitude of gratitude. He suggested that for the next 7 days we post on our social media things we are grateful for and then he offered a prayer on our behalf. We have taken the challenge and have been daily posting things we are grateful for - our parents, each other, our children, our grandchildren, our country and we plan on posting the gospel and the Savior Jesus Christ as our final two. It has been fun to read everyones “gratitude posts” and I think it has lifted spirits. We are blessed to have a Prophet.

We continue to move along in our restricted but happy life this week. We were invited to a zoom Canadian Humanitarian fund raiser program on Friday evening. They are the group that Tom went to Africa with and initially were organized by the Northcott family. We met with Carol again on Thursday and took her the sacrament on Sunday. The province is extending social interaction restrictions for a longer period of time so church continues to be completely zoom meetings. I led a Relief Society zoom discussion group on Sunday. We are also trying to work out the options for our Christmas Musical. Our own Christmas decorating is essentially done as the new tree we ordered turned up on our doorstep yesterday. Tom helped me assemble it and I decorated it. It is taller and narrower than our old tree. Voila, the tree but a tired me.

 

We had cleaned the house yesterday too and I was exhausted by the end of the day. We try to walk to the Temple at least once a week on our daily walks as we are monitoring the building of the fence around the perimeter of the property. Tom worked hard to gain approval for the fence before we were released and we are thrilled to see it happening. We continue to celebrate our family birthdays online and it was Keaton’s birthday this week. He got the family wishes going by wishing himself a “Happy Birthday”. He is a character. We cleaned up the leaves in our front lawn after a bad windstorm. That was our third time and hopefully the last as the leaves are pretty well all down now. Sarah had her bridal shower this week and it had to be a drive by one. Cindy took my card for her. We visit with our families and others. Both my ministering sisters called me this week and we keep in touch with our people to whom we are assigned to minister. The Lord has a plan to keep us covered no matter what the situation and our lives are a new kind of busy,

Our neighbour Jean returned from Austria a couple of weeks ago after getting her daughter Charmaine settled at music school in Salzburg. Jean has just finished isolation and Charmaine has now also returned home as the university has been shutdown. Everyone’s lives are upside down these days.

We try to stay healthy and are eating less cholesterol and both are losing weight. We are awaiting two specialist appointments for Tom. My knee is much, much better but not fully recovered. The body breaks down as we get older.

November 17, 2020

 I took the bull by the horns this week and suggested we start putting Christmas up. This has been a different kind of year and I just felt that “We need a little ChrIstmas, Right this very minute. Candles in the windows, Carollers at the door”. (from Auntie Mame) We got our outdoor lights up and everything else outside and inside up except for the main tree as we have ordered a new one and it will not arrive until December 1. We gave our old tree to the Hardy family and they are thrilled.

 Last Wednesday was Remembrance Day and we made our traditional pilgrimage to West Vancouver and my parents grave. The Hardy family faithfully join us every year and we have the opportunity to consider and appreciate my parents and their joint wartime sacrifice to bless our lives. Dad was in the airforce and had been a flight instructor here in Canada but, after securing Mom’s hand in marriage, he went overseas to fly bombers for the last two years of the war. Mom was the brave angel on his wing, praying and fasting for him constantly. We take our Remembrance Day wreath and add our current poppies to the numerous ones already on it and we walk around the cemetery.

We had a meeting with Carol Jones on Thursday and took her the sacrament on Sunday. Maxie Wong had passed away the end of October and her Celebration of Life was a zoom meeting Sunday afternoon. It was nice to see the North Shore Ward people and consider dear Maxie and her life. We received word last night that Betty Small had also passed away and she is another dear North Shore Ward friend and good friend to Maxie. They are enjoying one another still. Ron and Jane Komm saw us on the zoom and phoned us afterward and we had a nice catchup with them. They are stuck in Waterton, in their cabin, in the snow because Steven’s family have taken over their house while their place is being renovated. They may not even get back for Christmas.

We have been working on our Ward Christmas devotional and are hoping that the Bishopric allow us to just film and broadcast it to the ward because of the difficulties of coming together and the uncertainty of our lives right now. We have also been hanging sixteen frames up in the front hall to display pictures of the grandchildren. With the measuring and levelling required, it took two sets of hands and Tom was very patient. It is done! We have raked leaves twice now and will probably have one more go at it.

Tom had a phone appointment with the specialist on Friday and they have set up an office visit for him on December 4. We are hoping that he can get in sooner and are praying for that end. Tom will call again to let them know he is willing to take a cancellation if one occurs.

My ministering Sister Connor called today. She has had covid and recently completed her isolation and now she is calling to see how I am doing. She is so sweet.

November 10, 2020

 Our 50th wedding anniversary was August 26th of this year and we had a lovely day but the children gave us not only flowers and a beautiful cake but gift certificates for a photo shoot and a dinner at the Salmon House. Well, we were still enjoying our anniversary this past week as we received the photos from our photographer Debra Moore, which were taken last month, and finally went for our dinner at the Salmon House. We went to the North Shore on Wednesday late afternoon for Karl to cut my hair and then had a lovely meal at the Salmon House. It was our first dinner out since our lunch at the Little White House in Langley on our anniversary and covid regulations still prevail.

Doctor Collingridge phoned with results from Tom’s blood work due to his prostate concerns and they were not good. His cholesterol is up too and so he is on medication now for that problem. He is now to see a urologist regarding his prostate but the appointment they made was for the end of November and the children were concerned about that so Tom called the specialist himself and managed to get it changed to this week. We are all praying for him and anxious for the specialist to determine the cause of the problem.

We have been looking for a new Christmas tree and have brought two options home, returned one and ordered another one online. We have promised Cindy our old tree. We also got the outdoor lights up today before the weather gets worse. We probably won’t turn them on yet. Christmas has begun!

We cleaned up leaves in the yard but will probably have to do it once more. We have gathered pictures of Trevor’s wedding and family and sent them to JayLynn for a Christmas project that she is doing. We have met with Carol on Zoom this week again and took her the sacrament on Sunday. The government has asked that The Lower Mainland take more preventative measures for the next two weeks as covid rates have risen. Gyms and such are closed and we are to have no one in our homes except those who live there. Carol found a loop-hole to the regulations that permitted us to take her the sacrament. We worked on our Ward Christmas musical and are looking into filming and broadcasting it. We zoomed our Ward meetings on Sunday but also watched the Vancouver Stake Conference. Francois Tougas was released from the Stake Presidency as they are moving to the island and Chris Miller put in. We were thrilled. We love them all - Tougas and Millers. We talked to Roger this week, Joanne and Barb. We phone or email our ministering people and are in regular touch with our children, grandchildren and others. We are grateful for each other and for our home which makes up our little world.

November 3, 2020

 October has flown by and we are now into November. We even celebrated Halloween Saturday evening. We were not sure if Halloween would happen this year or, if it did, what it would look like. We bought treats and decided that we would leave them on the front step and allow children to help themselves rather than us hand out at the door as usual. It worked! We think we had about 70 children come. We just restocked our box from time to time and the children were on their own. We are not sure how much each child  took but that is okay. We had more fireworks going off in the neighbourhood than usual, especially in the field behind us.

We have been sorting thru bins again this week and I was thrilled to find the pictures and CDs that have been eluding me. We looked at the CDS and I went thru all the pictures and organized them. I still feel that there is a lot of organizing yet to be done to simplify everything we have. I keep in mind how the children would be dealing with this if we were not here. We want to have things organized for them in the future. 

I had a meeting with George Hara this week for him to introduce me to a new Family Search system. I was his test run. We met with Carol Jones again via zoom on Thursday and took her the sacrament on Sunday. She studies the scriptures and manuals and is thrilled to be a new ministering sister. She is a solid convert. We met Minna Miller at the Temple on Saturday when she was out to attend an endowment for one of their young adults. She brought us some samples of their Nitric Oxide product which is being tested, with positive results, for covid prevention. You spray it into your nose when you have been in public or feel you may have been exposed to the virus. I guess we are now part of the the test group. Chris wrote us a nice letter after we chatted with him on the phone while we were with Minna. We have great people in our lives and we are very blessed.

We have even had some family at our home this week other than just FaceTime contact. Max had his car on our driveway awaiting sale for salvage. The time came this week and he was here and visited with us until the tow truck arrived to tow the car away. Ross and Sarah also came to hand deliver their wedding invitation and we had them step in for short visit. It is nice to see live faces that we love. We do FaceTime the children too. We had a nice visit with Zachary on Sunday discussing scripture. He has been reading the Book of Mormon numerous times and we are very proud of him.

We continue with zoom church meetings. We were invited to the Vancouver Temple Workers’ Devotional on Sunday. The Presidency zoomed from Duncan and they had Michelle Rolfson sing. It was very nice. Frank Deyell was called to be an assistant Temple recorder and he will be great. Brent has been called to the Abbotsford High Council. Tom’s faithful helpers are being used well. We met with the Bishop for Tithing Settlement via zoom on Sunday and the Bishopric approved our Christmas Musical proposal. We now have to decide if it will be live or recorded and broadcast or both.

Tom went to see Doctor Collingridge on Monday to have a check up and discuss somethings that were concerning him. We went to the bank today and shopping at Home Depot for a new Christmas tree. We also stopped at the drug store. 

We have had some beautiful sunny fall days and and now we are into a rainy few ones but we feel blessed to have each other, our home, things to do and wonderful people around us.