Ontario declared a State of Emergency which began at midnight last Thursday, so it came into effect Friday, January 15, 2021.
The State of Emergency has little direct impact on our way of life, as we are have chosen to err on the side of caution and have stayed home all along, since last February. There are ways it changes things for us, but they aren’t glaring. For instance, Attila has to carry a letter with him as he commutes to and from work. The employer provided this letter, that identifies him as an essential worker.
A very quiet day here at Mist Cottage. I am grateful for this quiet time, after all the drama of the political chaos experienced by our neighbours in the USA, and of the invisible threat of a tiny predatory virus.
I woke up early this morning, 5:30 a.m., and decided to get out of bed, even though morning light was still more than an hour away.
After doing all the usual things like washing my face, and brushing my teeth, I got right to it in the kitchen. First I started the base for Pumpkin Pie Squares, which needed to be baked for 15 minutes before adding the filling. Next I mixed up a loaf of bread to get Attila started off with his lunches for the next week. After adding the filling to and getting the Pumpkin Pie Squares into the oven, I started on a batch of Apple Walnut Raisin Muffins. I figured that it would be a good idea to do all the baking at one go, and only heating the oven once.
I no longer have to concentrate all of my baking on weekends. The hydro company has AT LAST instituted our tiered billing. This makes for a major improvement in my quality of life. I can bake, shower, wash laundry, vacuum, etc., anytime that the need arises. Of course I will still cluster baking projects together when it is practical, so that the oven only need be heated once. It is such a joy to be able to follow my own ebb and flow in daily activities.
As an added bonus, the cost of hydro has been reduced significantly for the duration of the State of Emergency. That is very welcome indeed. So far the winter has been very mild, which means we use a lot more electricity, since we are heating with our air source heat pump.
A phenomenon of the declared State of Emergency is that the grocery delivery schedule is suddenly booked up for a over a week in advance. The sales only last a week. So for a little while at least, food will be costing us a bit more. A small price to pay for safety we think.
Attila continues to paint the ceiling in the basement. He is working on the second coat of paint. His other project is to fix the light fixtures down there, one by one. They are truly awful. The bare light bulbs hang down so low that a person, even a short person, would hit their head on them. Attila is moving the fixtures up about 8 inches, so that I can walk under the single hanging light bulbs. I think he too can walk under the light bulbs now, but to tell the truth, I don’t really know. I must ask him! He completed fixing the second light today, but there are many more to go.
This weekend it seemed time to tackle the mail. The mail does not come directly into the house. Attila brings it into the garage, where it stays for a week or so. At least that was how it was supposed to work. Somehow that fell by the wayside. I discovered this when I found and opened a letter from the bank, that had arrived last November. There was an important deadline I missed because I did not read the letter. Oops! I got that sorted out, and decided that the rest of the mail had to come in right away.
I cleared the table, spread out the substantial pile of mail, and began to sort. It took all day Saturday to get it sorted and filed. Luckily no other deadlines had been missed. It took a lot longer because of Covid-19, as I had to frequently stop to wash my hands. When I was done I washed all the surfaces down with hot soapy water, and changed my clothes. The precautions are a lot of trouble, and I feel that they are worth the time and effort. But I do wish that we didn’t receive so much junk mail. It serves no purpose, as it goes directly into the recycling bin. It has to be handled with care as well, and that is an annoyance.
Well, that is us, carrying on as best we can, enjoying a quiet uneventful day.
Stay safe dear friends!
Worldly
Weather
-1°C
Date: 6:00 PM EST Sunday 17 January 2021
Condition: Mostly Cloudy
Pressure: 100.3 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: -0.5°C
Dew point: -4.2°C
Humidity: 76%
Wind: WNW 14 km/h
Wind Chill: -5
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“The body is a sacred garment.”
Martha Graham
1894 – 1991
Dear Maggie, and other “new” friends: time certainly flies by. I always ‘thought’ that retirement would mean a slower pace of life….time to do all of the things that, when working, I never had enough time, to get stuff done. Well, what a line of BS that is for me….mainly, I think, because of my health issues. But, even with all of the medical issues, it seems that each week is gone in a flash. I continue to feel physically better. But, I fear with the new cardiologist appt next week, and perhaps a need for more tests, and possibly more medications…who knows? I am having a deep steroid injection in my right hip on Thursday. This is an attempt to reduce the arthritis pain. I DO NOT want a hip replacement until/unless I can no longer walk. Being an RN is not always helpful for the nurse….I know too much about the complications, recuperation, and long term effects. I know if I deteriorate to no walking, I will succumb to it, but not before. The back spasms, the hypertension, and the AFIB …. enough crappy problems to cause my pity parties…but, I swear each morning that I will accomplish something each day. So there!!
I had a Maggie type yesterday….I made chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice, and baked a pineapple cake. We have 4 extra enchilada meals in the freezer. I stayed in the kitchen most of the afternoon. This is one of Mike’s favorites. Used the crock pot for the chicken and good chicken stock. But, I make a big mess when I cook ( got this from my mother)….I mess up a bunch of bowls, utensils, counter space…the mixer, the mini food processor, etc. Mike has me so spoiled….he keeps everything washed up as I spew peelings,flour, sugar, spices, sifters, big spoons, measuring cups, egg shells, packaging,cans, measuring cups…well you get the picture! He is such a good sport about doing it, that we enjoy the event. As he commented yesterday…” I think I have washed (fill in the blank) this 5 times already! And he has enough OCD that he always puts everything up where it is supposed to be. And the enchiladas were so much better today. I have only one itty-bitty complaint….I prefer to have my music playing, but he likes the TV on. Dear son Jeremy is having a rather bad run in adulthood. Natalie’s BMW SUV has a possible 1-3 $$$ thousand repair coming up….then, he had a gas leak from his hot water heater,,,then, after digging deep 5 feet, had a gas leak to the heater for the pool/spa….which then caused an accidental injury to a sprinkler line. I very gently explained that when one has a half million dollar home that repairs/upkeep is going to be more expensive. And, as we know…there is usually something that needs repair, replaced, or improved upon….all the time. I am so proud of him; he really tackles problems that he can do himself, and is quite industrious in finding his strengths with DIY projects. He knew to call the pros in on the gas issues. My B-I-L in Omaha remains in the hospital with COVID. Just here in the DFW area, we have a higher rate of patients in ICU’s than we did last Spring. I literally received a letter from the Board of Nursing, requesting that I return to work…it was as if they were begging me to. If I was physically able, I would in a heartbeat. I worry for our country next week. I do not think the inauguration will be joyful. I remember learning the Pledge of Allegiance in kindergarten. Our country has never been this fractured in my lifetime.
My friend…..I have certainly rambled on long enough….so, back to my book, snuggled under my electric blanket, with one of my bedroom windows opened about an inch,I am certain I will be asleep before I have read one page. xxoo,m
Margarett, so glad to hear you are relatively well, Covid-free, and finding ways to enjoy life! Your Chicken Enchiladas sound wonderful, as does the Spanish Rice and Pineapple Cake. It sounds like you have a wonderful time in the kitchen.
Homes are always needing some kind of repair it seems, learning how to do things yourself is challenging, but worthwhile.
I hope your health continues to improve! Enjoy your book and your warm blanket! Stay safe dear friend!
I’m glad there’s an ease of some restrictions in your routine. Enjoying good food, I’m grateful we can still do that… Peaceful days to you and all of your readers! Interesting quote by Martha Graham….. Yes, respecting our bodies more, that’s a good thing. <3
Thank you Joan! I disliked time-of-use hydro billing from the get go. For years I have pined after a Tesla Wall so that I could cook and bake and do household chores during the daytime, charging it back up at night when the hydro was less expensive. But those units were so expensive that it would have cost more to install one than to use hydro at peak prices. I feel liberated by the tiered billing!!
Good food is a big focus in life here at Mist Cottage. I am so glad you and yours are enjoying good food too! We really do enjoy our food! Attila and I both enjoy cooking, Attila loves gardening, and I enjoy food preservation, which makes for a great combination of interests.
Stay safe dear friend!