On Monday

 

Holiday Chocolates

A friend sent us a box of holiday chocolates.  They arrived in an insulated package with cold packs to keep the chocolates fresh!

On Monday, all the excitement of the past couple of days caught up with me!  I woke up with a headache which I tried to sleep off, unsuccessfully.  I checked my blood pressure and found out that it has spiked!  My blood pressure had been so low recently, that at the beginning of the month, my doctor took me off one of my blood pressure medications.  I was fine for the next couple of weeks, but, today, my pressure had spiked.  I went back on the medication and it brought down my blood pressure back to normal.  But, the headache lingered.

I took a nap in the afternoon hoping that it would help, but it didn't/  So, I took a dose of Tylenol and that, and a cup of tea, did help.  But, as a result of the headache, I didn't go to the pharmacy to get my flu shot.

I had egg salad sandwiches for both breakfast and lunch, today.  I think I will have some of the spicy potatoes for my dinner.  And, hopefully, go to bed at a more reasonable time and maybe catch up on my sleep.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- My blood pressure monitor
- Blood pressure medications
- My pressure responded to the medication
- Afternoon naps
- Daughter taking out the trash and recycling bins to the curb for me

Today's joyful activities included being mostly inactive, resting and taking a nap!

Plans for tomorrow include:

- Getting my flu shot
- Taking daughter to get her flu shot
- Making and mailing some last minute holiday greeting cards 
- Making some Christmas/New Year gifts if I feel up to it

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

After the Almsgiving

 

The Last of the Butternut Squash

Thank you to all who left such kind, considerate, and respectful comments and genuine questions on my almsgiving posts.  I truly appreciate them.  

Happy Winter Solstice and the first day of Winter!

I had thought that I would sleep in on Sunday, especially since I didn't go to sleep until past 4:00 a.m.  But, I got up at 8:00 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep.  So, I had a cup of tea, got dressed, unloaded the dishwasher, etc.; daughter was surprised to see me already up and about when she got up around 8:30 a.m.  She woke up with a migraine-related visual aura but, couldn't go back to bed because her friends were coming over for the planned pancake/waffles breakfast at 9:00 a.m.

Her friend C, who lives out of state and was visiting family to attend a grandparent's funeral, arrived just after 9:00 a.m. and they chatted and had some one on one time before friend A arrived around 9:30 a.m.  A third friend V was not well and had let daughter know she was not attending the breakfast, out of consideration for the others.

There was a lot of laughter and chatting while daughter and her friends made scrambled eggs and pancakes (apparently, they didn't want waffles).  Friend C left around 10:30 a.m. and friend A stayed for another couple of hours.

I had retreated to my bedroom after I had greeted friend C when she first arrived, but, I sat in the family room when it was only friend A.  These are girls I've known since daughter was in middle school and it is lovely to see how they've grown over the years and stayed in touch.  

After they had their pancake breakfast, I made myself waffles for my brunch.  

I had just finished my brunch when gardener friend M showed up!  He had been unable to tend to the garden on Friday since he had an issue with his truck.  So, he was making up for it by working on his day off!  He cleared up the butternut squash vines and harvested the last of the butternut squashes!  The biggest one is just around 6 inches, the smallest one is just under 2 inches!  I think that will go in the compost heap, but the other two might yield about a cup and a half of squash to be cooked!

I served a plate of the leftover almsgiving food for M and he enjoyed it.  

Later in the afternoon, I made myself an egg salad sandwich.  

After that, daughter helped me to put away the dishes and other items that are used only for our almsgivings.  They are stored on the higher shelves in the upper kitchen cabinets that I can barely reach even when standing on the top step of a two tiered step stool.  I am definitely vertically challenged!  Daughter also cleaned the top of the refrigerator for me and I cleaned the top of the vent hood over the stove and the cabinet doors directly above.  I would like to clean the rest of the kitchen cabinet doors before the New Year.

Both daughter and I had naps in the early evening.  Afterwards, we both had leftovers for dinner.  

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- Daughter had a good gathering with her friends
- The sound of laughter blessing the house
- M making time to tend to the garden
- The last of the butternut squashes from the garden
-  A lovely day

Sunday's joyful activity was sharing some of the almsgiving leftovers with M.

Plans for Monday include getting my flu vaccine, making a batch of blueberry jam, and maybe sewing a couple of New Year gifts.

How was your Sunday?  Did you do something special to observe Winter Solstice? What are your plans for Monday?

Almsgiving Day 2025

 

Almsgiving Day, 2025

Almsgiving 2025 went well, 

Pictured above, is the reliquary containing a relic, supposedly a tiny bone fragment of the Buddha on the taller stand between the book case and the sofa. The reliquary is brought from the temple, by the monks, and it's presence transforms the house into a temporary temple and a sacred or holy place.

The shorter table in front of the reliquary contains a tray with food offerings to the Buddha, a vase of flowers from the garden, a candle, and incense.

On the coffee table in front of the monks are two plates with salad and glasses of water.  The items covered with paper napkins are plates and bowls of the almsgiving food that is offered to the entire Community of Monks, not just the two monks who are physically present at the almsgiving.  Often, this food is sent back to the temple with the monks to be given to any needy person or for the monks to have on the following day if there is no almsgiving scheduled.  

I was up at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and started on my almsgiving preparations, picking the flowers and tangerines from the garden, peeling and cutting the pineapple, taking out the cooked food from the fridge, etc.  Friend $ came over at 8:00 a.m. and started preparing the salads and plates of fruit.  Daughter joined us a short time later, checking her almsgiving menu and making sure that the warmed up food is served into the containers being prepared for offering to the Buddha and to the Community of Monks.  

We completed everything by 10:30 a.m. and while we waited or the monks to arrive, I went over my list showing the order of serving to friend R.  Once the monks arrived, we began the ceremony offering the prepared food to the Buddha and the Community of Monks and reciting the stanzas where we undertake to observe the five precepts that guide lay Buddhists in their daily life.

After that, the monks were served their meal.  On this visit, they did not bring their begging bowls and used the plates we had set out for them.   I took the above picture with their permission.  They know that I have a blog and that I post about my almsgivings.

After lunch, they gave a short sermon, chanted blessings, we transferred some of the merits acquired to family and loved ones who have departed, including Dancer (the monks remembered him especially), and tied blessed thread around our wrists, using the colored thread we had donated, earlier.  Then, we handed out the donations we had set aside to give to the monks and the ceremony ended.

After the monks left, we had our own meal and we gave friend R the Christmas gifts we had got for her.  She had mentioned wanting to buy two specific kitchen appliances and daughter and I bought them for her.  She was very pleased with her gifts.  Afterwards, we took her home.

Daughter took a nap after we got home and I put away the leftover food, washed the dishes, did two loads of laundry, and gave neighbor S a plate of almsgiving food.  In return she gave me some blinchick (stuffed crepes) that they had made.  Daughter and I shared that for our dinner.

After daughter woke up from her nap, I took a nap.  I was very tired and my spine was hurting from being on my feet for so long.  I put away the laundry after I woke up from my nap.

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- All the help from friend R and daughter
- The almsgiving went well without a hitch
- We had a pleasant, sunny day for the almsgiving

-  R was pleased with her Christmas gifts

- Exchanging plates of food with neighbor S

Saturday's joyful activity was holding the almsgiving.

On Sunday, daughter is hosting a pancakes breakfast for her friends.  One friend has already called and made her excuses as she is not feeling well.  I am not required to help with cooking the breakfast so I can sleep in or just relax.

How is your weekend coming along?

Twas the Night Before the Almsgiving

Almsgiving Preparations Check List

And almost all the items on the Almsgiving Preparations List that have to be done before the actual day of the almsgiving been checked off:

The house has been vacuumed and tidied;  the living room furniture was rearranged (thank you, daughter)

The serving dishes and all the other items required for the almsgiving have been taken down from the cabinets, washed, and kept ready (again, thank you, daughter) 

Groceries were ordered and picked up (on Thursday).'

On Friday, I picked up friend R who came to help with the cooking.  All the curries on the menu have been cooked, ready to be warmed up on Saturday morning.  

Friend R will come in the morning to help with the last minute preparations.

Of course, all the planning in the world can't prevent last minute glitches.  Both my cousin and daughter's friend who had said they will come to the almsgiving called today to let us know that they will not be coming because they have come down with something.  I am sorry they are not well, but, also, very thankful that they are staying home if they are ill!  M called to say he was having some battery issues with his truck and would not be able to come today.  Of course, I said it was okay, but I had planned to ask him to sweep up the front walkway and now, it won't get done unless I find time to do it tomorrow morning.  But, worst of all, I got impatient with my daughter when she asked where something was and snapped at her, which was not very nice of me.  ("It's where it always has been"...except it wasn't!  I had moved it during the living room painting and had not put it back!)  Later, I apologized and she was quick to forgive, but, I'm very sorry that I snapped at her.  She has been so helpful, too. 

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter's help with getting the house tidied and the almsgiving prep
- Friend R's help with the food preparations
- Getting all the advance prep done

- Daughter being so ready to forgive me for snapping at her

- A restful evening.

Today's joyful activities was preparing for the almsgiving.

I've a long list of things to do on Saturday morning, but, friend R will be coming to help.  And daughter will help, too.

I hope you've had a lovely day.  What are your plans for Saturday?

On Thursday

 

Polar Bear Teddy

Daughter crocheted this polar bear teddy as a gift for her friend's baby's first Christmas.  We went to the post office during her lunch break, on Thursday, to mail the gift along with the friendship bracelet she made for her friend.  I purchased a sheet of holiday stamps while we were at the post office.

I ordered groceries early in the morning on Thursday and picked up the items in the afternoon.  All the fresh fruit and vegetables I needed for the almsgiving and orange juice, plus the items that will be required for the pancakes/waffles brunch daughter will be hosting for some of her friends on Sunday.  This group of friends started having a pot luck holiday lunch at school when they were in high school and have continued to hold their annual holiday meal and gift exchange ever since.  Since one of the group of friends lives out of state, the annual holiday gathering is often the only time they are able to see each other.  Ever since they left high school their annual gatherings have been held at our house, although they all went out to  dinner at a restaurant, one year, before the Covid lock down took place. It's back to being held at our house, with daughter volunteering to host it,  So, I bought pancake mix, a bottle of pancake syrup, some breakfast sausages, a dozen eggs if they wanted to make eggs to go with their pancakes and waffles, and there's strawberry jam and peach jam (one of the friends can't have pancake syrup) and I've promised to make some blueberry compote as well.

Later, I cleaned the fridge, ran the dishwasher, cooked a chicken curry, wrapped a few more gifts, and made a few more cards.  

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to order and pick up groceries
- Safe drives to the grocery store, post office, and back
- A sunny and warm (high of 79F) day
- Working appliances
- What I was able to accomplish 

Thursday's joyful activity was making cards

Plans for Friday include almsgiving preparations.  It will be a busy day.

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?

She's Making a List...

 

Almsgiving Preparations Check List

And checking it twice.

Every year, around this time, I pull out my Almsgiving Preparations list.  Pictured above is a list I had made when the almsgiving was being held on a Sunday.  This year, the monks had another engagement on Sunday, so the almsgiving will be held on Saturday.  The preparations have to be brought forward by a day.

Here's this year's list:

Done Ahead:

✔️- Set the date
✔️- Invited the monks
✔️- Invited the participants
✔️- Confirmed the date with the monks
✔️-Confirmed the number of monks attending

✔️- Set the menu; bought some of the groceries
✔️- Cooked the "prepare ahead" dishes - Cashew curry, Dhal, Garbanzo beans, Murunga curry

✔️- Check supplies - paper plates/paper napkins, incense sticks, etc.; ✔️buy if needed

✔️-- Get the donations ready

✔️- Clean the living room

Still to do:

- Rearrange the furniture to set up the seating area in the living room 

- Set out candles, incense sticks & holder, lighter/matches to light the candles, etc.

- Clean the kitchen 

- Clean the bathroom
- Tidy the rest of the house 

- Take down the dishes used only for almsgivings and wash them
- Take out serving dishes, basins used for washing hands, serving spoons, etc.

- Set out items needed for the transfer of merit: teapot, cup, and basin; fill teapot with water
- Set out new bottle of water for blessing; bowl to catch drips when blessed water is poured out
- Set out items for washing hands: fresh cake of soap, hand towels, jugs of warm water & basins

On Thursday:

- Order ✔️& pick up Groceries
- Clean out fridge

On Friday:

- Pick up friend R
- Take out cooked curries from freezer and keep in the fridge to thaw

- Cook the rest of the curries: kale mallung, spicy potatoes, curried sauteed green beans, pappadum, boil eggs for salad
- Cut up pineapple

- Cover chairs and tables

- Take R home

On Saturday (Day of the Almsgiving):

- Cook rice (2 types - white and red) 

- Make the salad (hard boiled eggs, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions)

- Arrange fruits (pineapple, grapes, tangerines from the garden, raspberries, blackberries) in saucers; cover
- Arrange a variety of sweets (kavili; kalu dodol✔️, thala guli✔️, aluwa✔️, chocolates✔️,  cookies ✔️) in saucers; cover

- Serve desserts into bowls or saucers
- Pour palm treacle into sauce boat or jug (to be served over yogurt)

- Warm up curries; dish out

- Serve up offerings to the Buddha and offerings for the Order of Monks 
- Pick flowers from the garden and arrange in vases
- Boil water and keep warm for those monks who prefer hot water
- Pour water and juice into glasses

10:45 a.m. - Everything should be done and ready!

11:00 a.m. - Monks arrive; Offerings to Buddha, Order of Monks, etc. take place and service begins with devotions being recited.

11:30 a.m. - Lunch is served to the monks

12:00 noon - Monks finish their lunch (they are prohibited from eating after noon), plates/begging bowls are cleared, a sermon is said, blessings are chanted, merit gained from almsgiving is transferred to departed loved ones, and donations are offered to the monks.

1:00 p.m. - the religious ceremonies are concluded, the monks leave; usually, lunch is then served to all the guests who participated

Almsgiving Menu:

- Rice (red rice and white rice)

- Curries (cashew curry, dhal, garbanzo beans, murunga curry, kale mallung, spicy potatoes, sauteed curried green beans, salad, pappadum, tomato chutney)

- Sweets (5 kinds)

- Fresh fruit (5 kinds)

- Yogurt & treacle

- Maybe pudding or pie

Orange juice, water

I usually post the menu and the order of serving on the fridge so we can consult it to make sure that nothing is forgotten at the last minute.

The lists help to keep me focused on what needs to be done.  I will be updating the lists as I go.  

Holiday Gifts

 

A New Pair of Socks

On Tuesday, I finished knitting another new pair of socks - the photograph doesn't show the colors properly, but, the socks are knitted with dark blue and light blue acrylic yarn.  This pair will be given as a New Year's gift to one of my relatives.

I spent part of the day wrapping gifts and tagging them.  I also ordered two additional gifts that I wanted to complete the gifts I had planned to give to two young people on my gift list.  A set of pens to go with a journal for one person and a set of crochet hooks, yarn needles, and stitch markers to go with a book on crochet for another person who wants to learn how to crochet.  This seems to be the year of crafts/activity kits.  I had bought some unfinished wooden signs with saying from the dollar store and they will be paired with a set of acrylic paints and paint brushes to be given as gifts and one other person is receiving a painting kit.  

I also sorted through and tidied two of the drawers in the sideboard where I store gift wrap and gift bags, etc.  I have Christmas related gift wrap in one drawer and all occasion gift wrap in the second drawer.  I still need to sort through the third drawer  I am hoping that I will be able to store my card making supplies in that drawer.

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to order the last of the gifts online
- Free delivery
- Weekly trash collections
- My yarn stash
- Working appliances

Tuesday's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for Wednesday include tidying the third drawer in the sideboard and making more cards.

How was your Tuesday?  What are your plans for Wednesday?