Tuesday, July 21, 2026

July Week 3 Meals and July Week 4 Meal Plan

Monday Lunch: Cold Cuts Sandwich


I did not make a meal plan for July Week 3, because I wasn't up to cooking much and daughter had to get our meals.  However, other than ordering take out twice (pizza and Thai food) and eating some frozen food (beef and bean burritos, pepperoni hot pockets), mainly to give daughter a break from having to cook, we fared well.  Most of the breakfasts/brunches listed below are what I ate; I am not sure what daughter ate as she'd bring me what I wanted to me during breaks from her work.

Monday:
Breakfast: Cereal (no milk; me)
Lunch: Cold cuts sandwich
Early Dinner: Waffle and chicken curry (me)
Late Dinner: Pizza!
Snacks/Dessert: Nectarines, dates, part of a protein shake, a chocolate lava cake, half an apple sliced with peanut butter

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Cereal (dry; me)
Lunch: Pizza
Dinner: Pizza
Snacks/Dessert: Orange, dates & cashews, the other part of a protein shake, half an apple sliced with peanut butter

Wednesday:
Brunch: Cold cuts sandwich
Dinner: Fried rice - leftover rice, frozen mixed vegetables, cut up sauteed chicken, eggs, cashews (I felt well enough to stand at the stove and cook)
Snacks.Dessert: Yogurt with peach jam and cereal, apple juice

Thursday:
Brunch:  Cereal
Dinner:  Rice, leftover curries (chicken, green beans, broccoli), peach chutney
Snacks/Dessert:  Armenian gata (pastries) compliments of neighbor S, a third of a frozen protein shake, an orange

Friday:
Brunch: Scrambled egg and toast
Dinner: Microwaved frozen burritos
Snacks/Dessert: Golden kiwi (gift from M), nectarine, yogurt with jaggery, more of the protein shake

Saturday:
Breakfast:  Leftover burrito half (me); daughter was too busy cleaning the house to eat!
Late Lunch: Thai food - beef fried rice, chicken chow mein, barbecued pork skewers with tamarind sauce
Dinner:  Leftover Thai food
Snacks/Dessert: The rest of the protein shake, Ice cream

Sunday:
Brunch: Peanut butter sandwich
Dinner:  Air fryer baked hot pockets and tabbouleh
Snacks/Dessert: Plums, the last of the ice cream, chocolates


I am ready to resume meal planning and cooking, so here are my meal plan options for July Week 4 (which has already started!):

Brunches:  Cold cuts sandwiches, Cereal, Tortillas with scrambled eggs and lunu miris, pancakes with sausages and blueberry compote, frozen burritos, leftovers

Tuesday Brunch: Pancakes, sausages, blueberry compote

Dinners:  Chicken pot pies (Monday), Sauteed salmon with rice, green peas, and cucumber salad, Smoked sausage stir fry with rice, leftovers, Hamburger patties with boxed pasta mix and salad, Rice and curries (tbd)

Snacks/Desserts: Fruit, jello, faluda, peanut butter and crackers, popcorn

Of course, there's always the possibility we might go off plan and have something else, altogether!

I am grateful for:
- Having choices and options when it comes to meals

Are you making a meal plan this week?   

Sunday, July 19, 2026

Maybe a Fruit Grower?

 

Calamondin

Even if I can't grow potatoes or corn, I can definitely grow some fruit!  Today, my daughter picked some calamondin (also known as calamansi), which is a type of citrus fruit.  They are a cross between a kumquat and a mandarin orange and are small, round, and very, very sour.   But, they make a great marmalade and I am going to experiment this year and see if I can make some chutney, too.  

Back in December 2024, I asked M to prune the calamondin tree.  Here's how it looked towards the end of January 2025:


Calamondin Tree After Pruning: January 2025

It has since grown back quite nicely and was full of fruit - here's how it looked in June, 2026:

Calamondin Fruit in June, 2026

Daughter picked just over six pounds of calamondin today and there's still more fruit on the tree.  But, six pounds are about as much as we can handle at a time.  I washed them all well and daughter spent about an hour cutting each fruit in half and removing the seeds.  We decided that it was too hot to make a batch of marmalade today (a high of 88F/31C and we have no air conditioning) so he deseeded fruit was put in the freezer to be processed later.  Some of the marmalade will be given as gifts later in the year.  

I am grateful for:
- The calamondin tree
- The abundance of fruit produced by this tree
- Daughter picking the fruit for me
- And deseeding them for me
- Having a working freezer to store the fruit

Do you like marmalade?  Do you think you might like calamondin marmalade?  Would it be something you might try?

Definitely Not a Farmer!

 

Garden Harvest

I am definitely not a farmer!  M pulled up the other two potato plants on Friday and pictured above are the twelve potatoes he dug up!  Three of them are about the size of a small egg, three are smaller than that, and the other six are probably the size of quail eggs!  

Of the eight corn plants we planted, three plants tasseled and formed one ear of corn each, two plants didn't do anything, and three plants got trampled by garden critters (I am assuming) and died.  Of the three ears of corn, something ate one and you can see the other two, rather stunted ears of corn.  Each is about three inches long, if that!    

The plum like fruit is not a plum.  It is a "blue" tomato, according to M, who grew it in his garden and brought it for us to try.  We haven't tried it, yet, but, I believe the inside of the tomato is red.

Well, obviously, nothing much of a garden harvest,when it comes to potatoes and corn, this year.  However, the kale plants are still growing like crazy and it looks like we'll have a nice moringa pods harvest, later this year.  

On Saturday, daughter spent some time sorting through, packaging, and labeling all the seeds I've saved so far, to grow next year..  Yes, we are still planning to grow some vegetables next year, too.  In fact, we've already bought four more metal raised beds as we've decided that raised beds, with wire mesh to keep the garden critters out, will be the best way to proceed.    

I am grateful for:

- Even the tiniest of potatoes from the garden 
- Daughter's enthusiasm to continue trying to grow vegetables
- M's help with the garden and willingness to help
- Water for the garden
- Optimism which enables us to keep trying to grow things in our dry and hot climate

Are you growing any vegetables in your garden?  If so, are you getting a good harvest?

Friday, July 17, 2026

Grocery Shopping - July Part 3

"A Loaf of Bread, A Jug of Wine Bag of Chips"
to misquote Omar Khayyam

I ordered some groceries on Thursday and they were delivered on Friday.

Since the shopper checked out at of the store a little after 11:00 a.m. and the groceries weren't delivered to me until noon (maybe the driver had a prior delivery to make or did another shopping order?) and I am assuming the bags of groceries were just left as they were in the car (so far, only one person had the cold items in an insulated bag when they were delivered), I told daughter to put all the items that needed to be cold in the fridge and/or freezer right away.  Temperatures are in the upper 80s, today (a bit cooler than the upper 90s of the last couple of days) and milk, etc., can spoil quickly in that heat.  As a result, I only photographed the bread and one of the bags of snacks (and then, the bread went in the fridge, too; yes, I store my bread in the fridge).

I needed milk, half & half, and bread, and although I am feeling much better now, I decided to get more cold cuts for easy sandwiches and two frozen pot pies for dinner on a night when it is not too hot to turn the oven on.  Cucumbers were still on sale and my daughter wanted her favorite snack, so I bought them as well, since she was all out of them and was craving them, the other day; they were on sale this week, but, ; one had to buy four bags of the snacks to get the discount.  I also bought a tray of chicken thighs since my daughter prefers them to drumsticks and they were on sale, so the price difference per pound was not too large.  And, of course, we needed ice cream!  LOL.

As usual, many of the items I bought were the store's advertized specials and/or I had a digital coupon.  By shopping the sales and utilizing digital coupons, I was able to save $32.11, or, approximately 40%, on this week's groceries.

Here's the receipt (I have edited out all the repeated "item coupon/sale" details, but you can still see the original price and the sale price that I paid).


Order Summary

Original Item Total$79.17
Item Coupons/Sales-$32.11
Fulfillment Fee+$0.00
Other Fees+$0.20
Sales Tax$0.00
Order Total$47.26

Item Details

15 Items

Baskin Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge Ice Cream 14oz, 14 oz$2.99
1 x $2.99 $4.99 each
Cheetos® Flamin' Hot Puffs Chips, 8 oz$10.98
4 x $2.74 $5.49 each (approx.)
Cucumber, 1 ct$0.98
2 x $0.49 each
Foster Farms Fresh & Natural Chicken Thighs Value Pack, 1 pk$8.48
5.69 lbs x $1.49 $2.99 each (approx.)
Kroger® Half and Half Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$5.49
1 x $5.49 each
Kroger® White Bread, 20 oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 each
Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie Large Frzn Meal, 15 oz$5.98
2 x $2.99 $4.79 each
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey Breast & Smoked Uncured Ham Thin Sliced Lunchmeat, 9 oz$6.98
2 x $3.49 $6.99 each
Ralphs® Vitamin D Whole Milk Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$3.19
1 x $3.19 each

Other Fees

$0.20

Bag Fee$0.20
2 x $0.10 each

My total at this store came to $47.26

Later in the day, my daughter went to the pharmacy to pick up one of my medication refills that was ready and went to the adjoining dollar store to buy some items that I wanted (kitchen sponges and a new broom) and I told her to buy six frozen burritos if they had them.  They are $1.25 each for a 9 oz. burrito (the grocery store sells the same brand, but, smaller, 4 oz. burritos, for $0.69 each, unless they are on sale).

Spent at the dollar store - 6 frozen burritos, $1.25@ = $7.50

My July Grocery Budget (for food items only) = $250 + $11.51 carried over from June = $261.51

Spent to Date = $78.71 + $33.99 + $47.26 + $7.50 = $167.46

Balance left in July Grocery Budget = $261.51 - $167.46= $94.05

As always, I am grateful for:
- The availability of groceries
- Being able to order groceries online
- Being able to have them delivered
- Convenience food for when they are wanted
- Store sales and digital coupons to keep grocery spending low

How are you coming along with your grocery shopping this month?

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

A Little Mending


Tiny Hole at Neckline

I was sad to discover a tiny hole in one of my blouses, the other day, right near the corner of a square neckline, on the front of the blouse.  The blouse is part of a twin set and quite old, but, it is a favorite piece that I wear quite often.  The fabric is a knit weave, but, it is not something I had knitted.

Magnified

Such little tears pose a bit of a dilemma for me.  Do I mend it and get a little more wear out of something I have had and worn for years?  Or, do I take it as a sign to dispose of it and consider that as decluttering a rather full closet of clothing?  I couldn't donate it as it is, with a hole in it, but, if I mend it, then, would anyone want to wear a mended garment?  I don't mind wearing mended garments, so, I decided to go ahead and mend it:

A Little Mending - Now You See It

I didn't have the exact color of thread, but, I found a short length of embroidery thread (the last bit of that particular skein of thread)  that was a close enough color.  Hm, visible mending can be a statement, I suppose, but, my mending is not the neatest.


Now You Don't!

Enbroidery to the rescue!  A little flower with lazy daisy stitch petals and a French knot center to disguise the mending!  

The embroidered flower means that I will continue to wear this particular blouse for a little longer.  That little flower has extended the useful life of this blouse.

I'm curious to know what you might have done.  Would you have mended this blouse?  Or, would you have disposed of it?

Monday, July 13, 2026

July Week 2 Meal Plan Review


Saturday Brunch: Cold Cuts Sandwiches
and Cherries

I had posted my July Week 2 Meal Plan Options at the beginning of last week, when my sciatica flare up had just started.  Since the sciatica flare up lasted all week (and is still not quite over), daughter was  left in charge of preparing the week's meals and I didn't expect her to follow my meal plan options.  I also had some groceries, including a few convenience foods, delivered after I made the meal plan options and that changed things a bit, too, which is fine.

For what it's worth, this was the list of Week 2 Meal Plan Options

Brunches/Lunches:  Egg salad or tuna salad sandwiches; toast with peanut butter; fruit, tortillas with seeni sambol 
Dinners: Rice with salmon and broccoli, rice with salmon and green beans, boxed mac & cheese with tuna, Chicken curry with rice and cucumber salad, leftovers.
Snacks/Desserts: Fruits/fruit salad

And here's how it all worked out:

Monday
Breakfast: Banana
Lunch: Rice and shrimp curry
Dinner : Scrambled egg and toast
Snacks/Dessert: Faluda, dates

Tuesday:
Brunch: Banana, Cereal
Dinner: Salmon and broccoli

Tuesday Dinner: Salmon & Broccoli

Snacks/Dessert: Yogurt & jaggery, dates and chestnuts

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Tortillas with seeni sambol
Dinner: Scrambled egg and toast
Snacks/Dessert: Fruit salad, cherries, apple juice

Thursday:
Brunch: Cereal
Dinner: Rice, chicken curry, broccoli, peach chutney

Dinner: Rice, chicken curry, broccoli, peach chutney 

Snacks/Desserts: Cream crackers, cherries

Friday:
Brunch: Cereal
Dinner: Hot pocket, cucumber salad

Dinner: Hot Pockets, Cucumber Salad

Dessert: Ice cream bar

Dessert

Saturday:
Brunch:
Cold cuts sandwiches, cherries
Dinner: Rice, chicken curry, green beans, peach chutney

Saturday Dinner

Snacks/Dessert: yogurt with peach jam and cereal; dates with cashews; faluda

Dessert: Yogurt, cereal, & peach jam

Sunday:
Brunch: 
 Waffles

Sunday Brunch: Waffles

Dinner: Tortilla and chicken curry
Snacks/Dessert: Cherries, Yogurt with cereal and peach jam, popcorn

Dessert: Yogurt, cereal, peach jam

We ate mostly leftovers during the first part of the week, including some chicken curry I had cooked previously and frozen.  We ate frozen convenience foods  that were included in our grocery delivery on Friday and, on Saturday, daughter cooked another batch of chicken curry and some sauteed chicken  and green beans.  

Since I am still not quite up to cooking anything much, I am not going to make a meal plan for this week.  We will probably eat leftovers from what daughter cooked on Saturday,  sandwiches, and there's a packet of cooked salmon in the freezer to tide us over.  If not, we will order some food to be delivered and that will be fine, too.  I'll continue to keep track of what I'm eating during a week without a meal plan. 

I am very grateful for:
- Daughter preparing and serving me my meals
- Convenience foods
- Sufficient variety in meals
- Not going hungry
- A well stocked freezer and pantry

Are you doing any meal planning this week?

The Week in Review

Waffles on Sunday

This past week has been a bit crazy.  I had a sciatica flare up on Sunday, July 5 and spent most of the day resting.

On Monday, I continued to rest and took it easy.  I read, watched some online videos, called and chatted with my half-sister, and called the dentist's office to reschedule an appointment that was scheduled for Wednesday.  My daughter had work on Monday, but, afterwards, she took the trash cans to the curb and watered the garden and the house plants.

On Tuesday, I was still in pain from the sciatica flare up.  I rested, took Tylenol at regular intervals, applied ice packs, and watched online videos or played Sudoku all day.  The highlight of the day was getting a package containing a gift I had ordered for friend R for her birthday that is coming up.  

On Wednesday, I was still taking it easy as my leg was still painful.  Gardener friend M arrived to tend to the garden and I texted him to let him know what needed to be done in the garden - mostly some weeding and watering.  I finished reading the magazines I had borrowed from the library and daughter returned them to the library in the evening, after she got off from work.  

On Thursday, I continued to take it easy.  Thursday evening, the lady from the cat rescue group my daughter had contacted came over to help daughter trap Fluffy and her three surviving kittens (there were originally four kittens, but, one disappeared and we assume it didn't survive).  Fluffy is a feral/stray who has been living in our garden since last year.  She still hisses at us, but, will, sometimes, meow.  She shied away from us at first, but, will now let us get close to her, but, will not allow us to touch her.  She will follow me around the garden from time to time, especially if she wants to be fed.  

Fluffy with one of her kittens behind her
(Photo taken through the glass door)

Fluffy and the kittens hid when the traps were first set up, but, Fluffy eventually entered one of the traps. The kittens, however, were no where to be seen!  The lady from the cat rescue group was here from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., to see if any of the kittens would be trapped, but, they refused to come out from their hiding place. 

Around 6:30 p.m., I told daughter to ask the lady if she eats pizza and, if so, order some for dinner, but, the lady didn't eat pizza.  Instead, I told daughter to cook some rice and we had rice with chicken curry I had cooked earlier and frozen which daughter warmed up, some broccoli daughter had cooked the day before, and peach chutney.  The lady enjoyed the rice and curry dinner.  

After she left, we kept the traps out for another couple of hours and then, daughter closed them because we didn't want any of the visiting possums or, even worse, the skunk to get trapped in them!

On Friday morning, daughter and I were both up quite early to take Fluffy to the vet clinic where she was to be spayed.  The lady from the cat rescue group had given daughter some vouchers to be given to the clinic to pay for the spaying.  The clinic accepted trapped cats for spaying and neutering on certain days of the week between set hours, starting at 7:00 a.m.  We left home just before 6:30 a.m. with daughter driving; I just went along for the ride.  We were at the clinic just before 7:00 a.m. and there was already a line of people with their trapped cats waiting.  Daughter said that there was a bit of a mix up at the clinic with their technician claiming that daughter didn't have an appointment even though there was a text confirming the appointment date and time.  But, eventually, they agreed to fit Fluffy in.  Perhaps it was a good thing that there was just one cat without three kittens in tow.  

We returned to the clinic at 11:00 a.m. to pick up Fluffy and came home.  Fluffy had to be kept in the trap until 11:00 p.m., but, she seemed fine and ate and drank well, both in the trap and out of it once she was released.

On Friday afternoon, the groceries I ordered were delivered and later, M tended to the garden.

On Saturday, I rested as my leg had complained on Friday night, after going to the vet clinic and back, even though I was only riding and not driving.  Daughter had a busy day, though, doing laundry and cooking a chicken curry, sauteed chicken, and curried green beans.  I couldn't help her other than to top and tail the rinsed green beans for her. 

Today, Sunday, however, I was determined to do something a little useful and decided I could make waffles for brunch, provided daughter set up a waffle making station for me in the living room in front of my arm chair:

Waffle Making Station

It meant more work for her as she had to set up the table and mix the batter and bring me all the items I needed (and clean up, afterwards) but, I made us a batch of waffles for brunch!  We both enjoyed them and there are two waffles leftover for a snack, tomorrow.

Later, I made us some popcorn on the stove for a snack.  Daughter brought me a chair to sit on while I did that, but, even so, my leg has been complaining a bit in the evening.  

"D" from the cat rescue group stopped by in the afternoon to pick up two of the traps and the trap covers, etc.  She told daughter to keep the other two traps to catch the kittens when we are able to.  She is such a nice person.  We gave her a jar of homemade blueberry jam as a small thank you gift.  Once the kittens have been trapped and spayed or neutered and we return the other two traps, we will give a donation to her organization to help with their work.

I had a nice chat with friend R in the evening and texted with cousin N.

I am hoping that my sciatica flare up will be fine by tomorrow.  I am still intending to take it easy, but, hopefully, I can do a few things. (Daughter will take the trash cans to the curb and water the garden).

This week, I am grateful for:

- My daughter, being home and taking such good care of me during this sciatica flare up
- Daughter being able to contact the cat rescue group
- All the help that "D" from the cat rescue group has given us
- M's help with the garden as always
- A safe drive to the vet clinic and back

How was your week?  What are your plans for Monday?