Snow in Beautiful New Brunswick

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

50 BIG ONES!!!

On December 21st, 50 years ago...WOW, 50 years ago...we were married!

We have been celebrating all year.  Paul has told gazillions of people about this big event.

I don't know how many times we have said, "50 years, would you believe it!!!???"

Tonight (really last night because it is past midnight now)
 our church family had a lovely celebration for us.
 We are soooo thankful for God's blessing on our lives!

To God be the glory, 
GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!

One frustrating thing for me, is that we were told we have been inundated with greetings.  Apparently this has hit Facebook.  However we are NOT on FB!  I was on BRIEFLY some years ago.  It seems that you can't get off, and I can't get on to check on it.  So if you have sent us greetings, or know someone who has, we don't know about it.  We do accept emails, phone calls, and even snail mail! We are the only ones with our name in Moncton, and it seems Moncton is the only one in the world spelled like that.  We are also the only ones with our name in Springfield, NB.  However you will find us under two different numbers there.  One is a number we haven't had for over 5 years when the old farmhouse was torn down.  We can't seem to get that number deleted.  Ah, modern technology!

PS  It is December 22 now and we have received quite a few e-mails with anniversary wishes.  We cherish each one.
**We also accept blog comments!

Further Up Our Road

 We heard that things were worse further up our road, so we went for a look - see.

This car went into a wash out.

At first we didn't go past that far barrier,

but someone told us we really needed to see it for ourselves.

It had been on the news, which we missed,

but that was not at all like being there.

So we ventured on up the road.

The road came to an end,

just dropped off.

I am glad we were driving very s-l-o-w-l-y.

In the picture you don't get the true sense of how the road drops off.

It is quite a long way down.

The road is broken off way above the water.

At the middle top of the picture you can see the culvert which used to go under

the road, and the stream flowed through it.

Our Road to the Farm

These are photos of our road to the farm as things were when we drove out on Monday.

The bridge was out here and a Bailey bridge was being installed.

Bailey bridges were used by the military in war times, and can be installed quickly.

At the time of this pic, the people who lived to the left of the bridge were

cut off from this road, and had to travel quite a ways to get to this road.

We knew we could get to our farm,

even though the sign says the road is closed,

because we had talked with two neighbors who live on our road.

Our wheel barrow is full of water from the huge rain.

Everything is OK here!

Thank you, LORD!

MY DIDN'T IT RAIN!

OUR ROAD TO THE FARM! CHECK IT OUT.  (Put your cursor on those words.  Sorry, Blogger is not cooperating.)
Our neighbor says the road is open now.  This happened on Wednesday.  The road was open by Saturday.  We have not been there yet.  We decided it was not wise to try it in the dark, so we are going tomorrow.

PROGRESS REPORT

Almost a week ago, Charlie Browne called to remind me that I have not blogged for 2 1/2 months, and what in the world was going on up here?  Well lots!  However the energy level does not always keep pace with the activities.  I am MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better.  I do very well with the normal things, but extra things...not so well.  I have to concentrate on what I have accomplished, not on what I need or want to accomplish.  My finger nails are no longer discolored and they do not have a bump for each treatment.  My hair has grown in CURLY.  Yes, there are pictures, but I am not sure I can show them now. (The energy level, you know.)  My last chemo treatment was at the end of January.  I have had two infusions since, with four more to follow about every six months.  They are not bad, and don't take more than 1/2 hour once you get in and hooked up.  Last time it took three pokes before they got a vein.  That is why I am so thankful that I had a PICC line during chemo.  They just screwed into it each time. I really don't know if the infusions are bothering me.  The chemo can stay in your body for up to a year.  Obviously I am still having side effects from them.

I am once again in charge of the kitchen.  My caregiver really went out of his comfort zone to care for me.  I am EXTREMELY thankful.  One good, continuing result is that he is more aware of what goes into kitchen work, and he is much more helpful in that area than he was before this episode.  The house...I'm not real concerned about a little mess right now.  Also keeping up two houses is a bit daunting under normal circumstances.  The french doors at the farm keep asking to be cleaned.  So far I have not answered the call.  If you pop in, just be forewarned.

We have a few events coming up which I will not attend.  Later this month Paul is speaking at a Pastors and Wives meeting two hours away from here.  I am not going.  Traveling to and fro, having a meal, going to meetings and visiting is more than I can manage.  I need to be able to stop doing whatever I am doing, when it is necessary.  I will also miss the Prince Edward Island Bible Conference for the same reason.  Most likely I will be curled up with a book on those days.  Most days I am happy if I accomplish one thing plus the regular meals, etc.

Another good thing that may, or may not, be associated with the treatments, is normally my heels are dry and even crack.  Now they are nice and soft.  Not that I would go through chemo just for that result!  I am THANKFUL, THANKFUL for God's goodness to me!  O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD!

I was a long time in coming...

Summer,

that is

New trellis that those honeysuckles will grow over someday

Also the screen house which we bought at a yard sale last year for $15

The farmer himself

It was a good lupine year.

However I didn't take any lupine photos, except these on our fence.

Our neighbor down the road had beautiful ones.

Next time...

We spent an enjoyable month of June at the farm.

We had quite a bit of cold, rainy weather...

good for a good book and a nap!

It seems like summer landed on July 1st, when it was time to leave.

New Church Entrance & Other Stuff

 Doesn't it look beautiful?

We are waiting for new doors also.

We are very excited about the new look and the protection from the weather.

Things are green and growing.  The gardens have been weeded...

problem is that the one I started on is in need of weeding now.

It has felt good to get into the gardens.  The oncologist, who I saw last Monday,

said that physical activity is what will help me with the fatigue and muscle aches.

He also said he would see me in a year, unless something comes up.  Effects of the chemo

can last up to 6 or even 12 months, as it was an assault on the body.  I am soooooo thankful

for the way I feel now.  I am once again in charge of the kitchen.  I think we are both happy

about that.  I am very thankful for the replacement who took over when he was needed!  I am

tired now, but I have had some very busy days, AND it is late at night.

"O give thanks unto the LORD;

for He is good;..."

Psalm 136:1 

Wondering about the hair?

I do have some!  Every night we rub my head to see how much has grown.  Every night I say, "Is tomorrow the day I go without the wiglet?"  And every night Paul says, "NO!"  I don't really mean it.  Right now my hair-do looks something like my brother's did when he was 10 years old.  It is about 1 inch long, so it will take awhile.  Last week someone told me how much she likes my hair.  She even touched it, but didn't realize it was a wig.  It sure is easy!  I am thankful that I don't have to go around looking like a 10 year old boy.

SPRING IS HERE!!!

This is a sign of how things are at our house now.  Most days the bed is actually made, instead of the blankets just pulled up.

Last week we had five nights of special meetings  God graciously provided an apartment for the speaker.  He is a good friend of ours and has always stayed with us in the past.  However this year I was a bit concerned about the five nights, let alone someone staying with us.  We had company after the services for the first two nights.  The next night we went out for supper.  The next night I bombed and couldn't make it to the service.  That's the way it goes, and from what I hear, this may be the norm for up to a year.  I am very thankful for the energy that I have, even if it doesn't last too long.  At the end of the month I will have my 3 month appointment with the oncologist.  I am not sure if he will order some tests or not.

Now the garden clean up that didn't get done last fall is staring me in the face.  It is usually so enjoyable to me...not so much this year.  Hopefully I will get a bit done here and there.  It is sooo nice to see the grass and ground, even if nothing is green yet.

It's coming!

 Now

It wasn't long ago that just the little red steeple was showing.

We have had some thawing and melting.

We were able to get the car off the road and into the driveway on Tuesday.

We are hoping that the next trip to the farm will be all the way to the side door.

That's exciting!!!

 Now

Not long ago

You can see how much melting we have had.

I don't think this was when the snow was the deepest.

Now the potting shed had a circle of grass showing around it.

We have hopes of REAL SPRING!