2022 has arrived.

Happy New Year and good morning to you all, well we did it, we survived 2021, all the challenges, all the personal wars, all 365 days, we did it. In my opinion given that it was 2021 I think we can all pat ourselves on the back and take a moment to reflect on the victories. I know that I surely did that, with a great sense of achievement. My year started with great promise last year and also great energy with the restoration of my gorgeous kist, that gave me such joy and pride to do and I had another piece of furniture lined up, which is still awaiting my ministrations. I learnt many lessons last year which I could have done without, but obviously needed to be exercised and stretched. Never did I ever think I would hear the words "you have cancer" and yet moments before I did hear them God placed a peace in my heart and I knew that was what I would hear. From being told it was so tiny and would be a simple and quick situatio it turned out to be 'small' yes, but from there on the very opposite of simple and nothing I could have ever prepared myself for. Lessons in faith, patience, drawing in right under His wing, being the one needing prayer and not the other way around, having to rely completely on other people for the most mundane things like getting my hair washed as well as literally my life, etc. A BIG year without a doubt but, I can say I am cancer free and thank God daily that no chemo or radiation was added to my treatment. My journey is not quite over but I am slowly recovering to be strong enough to face the last part, without any complications, I pray. Not a year I or anyone I know would like to ever repeat.  

While I was in hospital I remember Hubby telling me that a pair of doves had made a nest on one of the beams on the deck and the day I was discharged their one little egg hatched and the second hatched a day later. It has been such a joy watching these two precious little birds grow up, Mom and Dad look like babies themselves but have done a very good job. Yesterday Baby No 1 flew off into sunlight with his parents, leaving baby No 2 alone in the nest. I felt so sorry for 'her' suddenly all alone and just after lunch she tried to launch herself but fluttered down onto the deck. When Hubby tried to catch her she kept flitting off until she was under the car. I could not rest and eventually we went out with a mop handle and she flew out onto the wire fence where she wobbled back and forth, I was able to quietly catch her and put her back in the nest, waiting anxiously for mommy to come and feed her, I wasn't sure she would. Just after 7 pm she flew in and fed her little baby thank the Lord, this after me managing to find some seed within the village and pronutro just in case hahaha.  This morning she flew off with her parents so the proverbial nest is now empty. 

It was a day of answered prayers because, Jelly Bean had looked after Poppet's house over New Year and when they got home on Saturday one of the cats was missing, oh my word, poor Jelly Bean as well as myself, we felt so bad and as the day wore on he stayed m.i.a. Yesterday morning at 4.30 am the little blighter arrived back home minus his collar and disc, so we are left to presume he got himself caught somewhere and eventually managed to get free. Oh Lord, thank you, I could not have stood it if he had not returned. 

As for myself I have become ever so slightly stronger, I still shake and wobble all over the show and sometimes getting food from the plate t my mouth is an accomplishment haha, but day by day it is a journey. My goal for this week is to actually get to a hairdresser and have my hair cut. 🙏🏻 Since I was in hospital I have had a tightness on the edge of one scar which has caused much discomfort. I was concerned as to how this would feel once I start with my fills but yesterday (it was a busy day) when I showered I was sure I felt a stitch and on investigation, I was correct. One lonely stitch had been left behind and got itself nicely grown in over the 5 1/2 weeks 🤦🏻‍♀️. Hubby supplied the tweezers and after sterilizing everything Jelly Bean with her steady hands performed the removal, which was jolly painful but oh the relief, I can actually lie on that side for a short while now. Thank you guys 👏🏻👏🏻

 Folks I want to encourage each of you with these thoughts, as we all know nothing in life is guaranteed. The only guarantee we have is that God is never moved, He is never absent or too busy, He is ALWAYS available to us for the smallest to the most life threatening or changing event. The only guarantee we have is that if we stay plugged into Him, no matter what the world throws at us, we will overcome and be victorious. The other thing is family, there is so much division in families for one reason or the other. Family is the one thing in our lives that we have no choice over, but, God in His infinite wisdom hand picked and chose each member of your family to be YOUR family. In this day and age friends tend to come and go but your family will always be just that, always there, whether they are appreciated or not, nothing can change your position in that family unit. We need to treasure our families, where there are cracks, breaks and rifts, where possible to bring healing and most of all unconditional love. Not love based on what they can do or did not do for you or visa Versa, but unconditional, non judgemental love. You may not even particularly like certain family members but you are called to love them and for my tuppence worth, pray for them, pray for yourself to be able to love and accept them for who they are. There is NOTHING that cannot be accomplished and changed by heartfelt prayer and any family is worth at the very least your prayers. 

As we ease into 2022 I wish you all a wonderful year in every way. May this year see some sense of a return to 'normal' life for the world, may the struggles and challenges of the last year be behind us. I pray that 2022 will be a kind and gentle year to us all. Please stay safe and stay healthy. Ciao ciao. 

 A gorgeous surprise gift from Poppet.

Our precious little dove babies.