A Very Long Month

January has indeed been a very long month.

All 31 days of it.

The apple trees have been tucked in under a steady layer of snow and haven't even begun to dream of pushing out leaves, let alone apples.

Ladybug has adjusted remarkably well to being the Lone Ranger around here.  I have been amazed at her not showing any visible signs of missing the one who was her constant companion for the past 10 and a half years. 

I'm super glad about that.

I think she's kind of enjoying being the centre of attention for a change as Moose was certainly the main big deal around here for the last few months.

Check out her cute little profile there as she mans her post - keeping an eye on the road and any possible intruders from the comfort of the couch. 

What a little Diva.

We wondered if we might hear something about Moose as we had some signs posted in the neighbourhood.

But nope - nothing.

In my blur of grief I mistakenly wrote that we were missing a Labradoodle when he was indeed a Golden Doodle.  

May He rest in winter's peace. 

A sweet friend brought these flowers by in His fluffy white memory.

I've been touched at the kindness of others regarding the loss of our big pooch.

He was only a dog, but he was very well loved and a pretty popular personality up here.

I've even gotten a couple of cards and about 100 comments on my facebook feed regarding his moving on to heavenly realms.

People are so very kind.

Anita arrived home from Iqaluit and initially went out "Moose hunting" until she realized it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. 

Ladybug has been enjoying the long walks that happen when Anita is home.

We've had overcast snow days and sparkling frosty clear ones.

There are so many days in January to experience every sort of winter weather pattern available.

I managed to get Mom and Tante Hilda out on one of the spectacular sunshine days and we sat enjoying our little burgers as we took in this familiar yet ever changing view.

The amount of snow in town fluctuates pretty dramatically but up on the orchard we've been covered in white for quite a few weeks now. 

With no end in sight.

Goodbye January.

You have been gorgeous, but you will not be missed.

January Highlights

January.

Full of so much snow, beauty, cold, more snow, sunshine, and lots of time indoors with incredible people.

One of my housemates, Derek, had a birthday while his wife was in the Philippines so I took it upon myself to make sure that he was celebrated in style.

His kids were quite happy to enter into the silliness.

They are a really great family and the quieter time of just the four of us in the house gave us more time to get to know one another. 

The cold and dreariness of this wintery month is also warmed by the teaching times I have with my sweet kids.  

Some of them are ESL students which is fun.  Their families have traveled here from Korea and Peru.  They are eager hard workers and super cute.

Some mornings I would rather stay tucked in my cozy bed rather than braving the icy roads and frigid air, but once I get going there is fun to be had and lovely times with my precious students. 

It's a dream job. 

In between the snowy dark days we are getting some stellar sunshine.

There's nothing quite like our white world juxtaposed with the canopy of bright blue. 

Those Jews are definitely rocking it with their theme of blue and white!

I took Mom for a drive on a lovely blue skied morning and the sun had worked it's magic in the city and the snow had temporarily disappeared in some spots.

We still have tons of snow up at the orchard though.  

Amazing how the altitude can create such a difference in temperature and snow pack.

I also took Mom for a drive down memory lane and here we are parked in front of the house we lived in way back in 1967! 

Wow - that's fifty years...

One Friday I threw together a true winter meal with all sorts of root vegetables and squash and invited my dear family/friends over for our new slim line version of a Gagenzeit night.

It was great to catch up, share stories and these dear ones gave me some good advice and prayer regarding an issue that had been troubling me.

Ahhh, so blessed am I.

My Good God and Father takes incredibly good care of me. 

All the time.

Dad's recovery has been anything but easy, but we are making HEADWAY!

An appointment with the specialist confirmed that things are coming along and there have been regular visits from nurses to monitor his condition and change his dressing when needed.

Plus they were able to sign the papers completing the sale of their condo!

WOOHOO!

That was another long, arduous journey, but it's done.

Immense gratitude was bouncing around inside of me over that!

Also had a delightful breakfast with this cutie. 

Liz had been talking about a pancake breakfast for awhile and wow - we really hit the pancake jackpot!

It provided two very delicious meals for me.

This picture sent to me from my kids made my heart so warm and happy.

I love knowing they are connecting and having sleepovers and hiking trips together.

I'm simply amazed at the grace and peace that I have about them all living at the coast while I'm living here!

I just can't say enough about my Good Good Father.

Learning to rest and trust more and more.

Experiencing the fruit of that discipline.

Wondering why I bother worrying about ANYTHING - EVER!

Farewell Dear Old Boy

The day before Moose went on his final walk was a beautiful, warm, melty kind of blue skied day. 

The sun shone bright and I took the pups out for some fun with their new squeaky toy.

Despite Moose not eating anymore for quite a few days he still was always able to gather up his strength to go outside and enjoy the winter air. 

Norm and Lorabeth were heading out for a walk so they took Moose along.

They said he would stop and bump against their legs every now and then and look up at them, as if he was saying goodbye. 

He made it all the way to the T in the road and back again - about a kilometre.

Way to go Moosie - drink every last drop of goodness that life has to offer you!

What a beautiful lesson you have to teach us all.

No self pity - just resolve to get up and get outside one more time or catch that one last ball that is thrown!

The next morning after giving the puppies their morning snuggle and getting a few tail wags from Moose I let the pups out of my room.  Moose immediately went to the kitchen and flopped down on his other bed. 

He looked pretty rough and I wondered if this would be his last day but I had to go take Mom out so I headed into town.

As I was driving back up the long road to our hill I quoted the verse

 "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord".

While I was out the gal who is staying here let Moose out.  He stood outside and gave her a long look before he wandered off, never to return.  

I like to think he wandered straight off into heaven...

Everyone up here spread out and hunted everywhere for him, but to no avail.

We kept expecting him to wander back and were hoping to see him standing at the door waiting to be let in.

Throughout the day I repeatedly went to the various doors to check if his big brown eyes would be expectantly peering up at me.

They weren't.

There were lots of tears.

Hard to believe that familiar warm presence didn't come home and that he wasn't laying at the foot of my bed or in his kitchen bed anymore.

Big. Heavy. Sigh.

More tears.

The next morning I was greeting with a gorgeous sunrise.

The morning was still, the beauty so big.

It seemed a fitting farewell tribute to this beautiful season that we have shared here with the two pups that God gifted me almost 9 years ago.

I'm so grateful that we had so many weeks to say a lovely long goodbye.

So much time to snuggle and give love to our faithful, kind companion.

The mornings will be different now.

Just one lone Ladybug scampering out onto the snow to sniff the fresh air and do her morning business.

I'm grateful that I still have her.

It truly eases the pain and her presence is a comfort to me.

On the Platform

Corrie Ten Boom once said something about God giving us the ticket when it's time to board the train.

Something about not worrying ahead of time about how things are going to turn out or wondering how you'll have the grace to handle certain things when they come.

Well, I feel as though I've been sitting on a platform waiting for a ticket, believing it's coming and meanwhile doing my best to enjoy the view from here, the company, and whatever snacks are being served while I wait...

The fragility of life is looming large these days on many fronts.

Moose has been slowly wasting away before our eyes, getting thinner and thinner but still enjoying the ball when it's thrown and taking long walks out in the winter air. 

He turns his nose away from any tasty morsels I offer him and I've been forcing a bit of honey water with cannabis oil in to keep him comfortable.

This has gone on for over a month now.

He is squeezing every last morsel out of his time here!

Thankfully he doesn't seem to be in any pain.

His presence is so precious and his big eyes stare up at me, seemingly searching mine as if he's wondering what's going on.

So we are enjoying the view from here as best as we can, making the most of moments, giving lots of love and occasionally the tears are falling.

And meanwhile Dad has been having a heck of a time recovering from a surgery he had on January 6, ostensibly to make his life easier. 

He ended up with all sorts of complications and it's been a fragile time with him and mom as well.

She carries his pain, living so closely with him and it has drained her.

She speaks of wanting to go home and I don't blame her.

She's gotten quite blind and tires easily. Plus her appetite is gone robbing her of one of the few pleasures she has left.

She keeps counting her blessings though and is as sweet as ever.

Dad has been understandably frustrated by all the kafuffle and is so weak.

It's difficult to go there and to see the fragility and helplessness.

It feels heavy and I also feel helpless and frustrated at times.

 There have been many phone calls with health professionals, a long visit to Emergency with both of them, picking up supplies to try to help with the recovery process and Elsie has spent lots of time keeping Mom company. 

However it is a privilege to be able to enter in and help where possible.

I go away feeling the weight of it all and wonder when there will be relief.

But today it looked more hopeful.

The lawyer showed up to sign the papers confirming that the condo is finally really sold!  Big win there, even if we had to lower the price substantially.

And the nurse showed up to change Dad's dressing and the leaking has finally stopped so there is more peace. 

I'm grateful that I can come home and put on worship music, spend time in prayer and get recalibrated.

I feel the great, constant, amazing, goodness of God in the midst of all of this.

He is here on the platform with me, offering me a hot chocolate and croissant as I wait on Him and with Him.

He will give me the ticket when I need it.

Meanwhile I will praise Him, the giver of every good and perfect gift.

Brand New Year

I am often in awe of the kindness of God.

 I feel His Hand in my life in multitudes of ways, but these little animals He has entrusted into our care are really the BOMB! 

They provide so much joy and fun and comfort.

Such gifts to us reminding us of God's unconditional amazing love.

Here's Pupcake sneaking in a little kiss and putting a huge smile on mom's face.

It's priceless. 

We began the New Year with a beautiful drive on a very wintery day.

There was a tremendous amount of snow everywhere so we didn't dare drive onto the parking lot where we usually enjoy our snack as we didn't want to get stuck.

Instead I took the ladies on a tour of the countryside.

The clouds hung low and heavy over the frozen earth but the gorgeous blanket of snow covering everything created a spectacular landscape.

The ladies LOVED it and were exclaiming with joy at the sight of the snow covered trees and mountains.  

As we passed through one orchard we saw a herd of deer munching away on the twigs, some of them were still laying in the snow having a little siesta.

We also prayed, laying our burdens at the foot of the cross and crying out for mercy to fall on those that we love.

I think it's remarkable that we can gather in my little car and have these heaven kissed drives.

Hearing Tante Hilda's laughter from the back seat as she encourages Pupcake to bark at dogs that might be walking nearby, breaking out into song as we worship our Great and Awesome God, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company is an incomparable gift.

This is definitely a season for indoor picnics!

We've had one huge snowfall after the other creating  a Narnia type world that we keep waking up to.

The weather has been so cold that the snow just stays...

frozen onto tree branches and not budging.

Mr. Moose always loves the snow and even though he has been eating very little and is basically just skin and bones, he still gets excited if we throw a ball out there for him.

Skinny Mini is still with us.

Stayin Alive...