| Todd, Kristy and baby Nora will be travelling to Canada in mid November. Today Todd, Kristy and little Nora spent a couple hours at the photographers (no WalMart studios there!) and eventually got a passport picture that will satisfy Canada's regulations. She had to have her eyes open, not crying so it was a new experience for all three of them, and maybe the photographer too. It's not like most adults pictures though. I heard a comment that if you look like your passport picture, you aren't fit to travel! (Don't ask to see mine!) But little Nora's is so sweet that they will be sharing it every chance they get and Grandma is doing that too. But I'm having trouble with that picture tonight. I had two pictures of her at one time, now both have disappeared so I'm going to print this without pictures. Hopefully I can add it another day! |
I actually had a Wednesday posting almost ready to publish last night. But when I read it over I decided it was more of a journal entry and one that I'll keep to myself. Today is a new day and a new post.
This afternoon I went with Clare to the land "over east" to get Howard's three ton truck going. First we drove around to some rock piles looking for a suitable rock for Howard's headstone. Sandra and I were so impressed with the graveyards in Norway with no artificial flowers but flower beds at each grave. Several graves had actual rocks instead of granite stones. We liked those! Here's a picture of one with metal letters fastened to the rock. What could be more suitable to mark Howard's grave than a rock that he might have picked on the land that Oscar Bodvig first farmed. Howard admired nice rocks with various colours in them and brought home a few smaller ones that I have among my flower beds.
Today I cleaned out the closet in the hallway. That's where Howard kept his suits and sport coats along with jackets. Even though he hadn't lived at home for the past year, his clothes still hung there. I was in the mood to tackle the job today so it's a good feeling to have lots of room for guest's coats and jackets in the closet as well as on the hooks in the hallway. I washed up several of the jackets to give away. I moved the suits and coats to a basement closet, not ready to part with them yet. Maybe I'll make a quilt from them someday.
As I deal with the loss of my spouse after almost 46 years together, I have found it helpful to read about other widow's experiences. I have talked previously about the book "Vidh" and just finished another one, also by a Canadian. I ordered "Voyage to the Other Side of Grief : Finding Joy in New Dreams" from amazon.ca before Sandra and I went to Norway. It was here when I got back but it was a busy time and I stuck it up in the bookshelves and actually forgot about it. I went looking for something to read the other day, and there it was, just waiting for the right time. I couldn't put it down once I got into it and plan to reread it now that it's had a quick scan. The author, Glenora Doherty, shares the story of the sudden death of her 61 year old husband after a very successful bypass operation. I was reminded of Torquay's Gladys Hanson, who had a similar loss after her husband Carl died in a Vancouver hospital just days after coming through his heart operation. It is a faith story too, and also reminded me of Gladys who devoted the rest of her life to her family, letting her light shine as she loved and served them, her community and church family. I am thankful for the examples that these widows, and many others, have been in my life.
Well, the washing machine has finished its job for the day, so I better put the dryer to work next. I need to tidy up the kitchen before bedtime too so this will be it for this post. Enjoy the last day of summer on Friday!
No comments:
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments and encourage you to leave one for me. Feedback is welcome and helpful.