Tuesday

Is It a Plane?

(Notice the contrail in the background)
 

No!  It's a Hummingbird!

A minute later, it returned to its perch in the Jacaranda tree:

In the Jacaranda Tree

It's the best my cell phone camera could do, magnified 5X.  

Do you see it?

I've no idea what kind of hummingbird, but, I find them hard to photograph with my cell phone camera.

We had a sunny day on Tuesday, with an afternoon high of 70F.  I spent a relaxed morning while daughter worked, brought in the trash cans after they had been emptied, and brought in the mail. 

In the early afternoon, I took Dancer to the vet clinic for his injection.  This time, I managed to get most of the sedative in him and timed it well, so that, when we left the house 45 minutes later, he only complained a little bit and then, remained quiet the rest of the way!  No panicked meows, no hyperventilating, no drooling, no incidents as we pulled into the parking lot!  He was as good as gold on the way home, too!  He was rewarded with canned tuna after we got home and he's been sleeping on and off all evening.

After we came home, I walked for 15 minutes or so, which was when I took the hummingbird pictures.

Daughter and I had croissant sandwiches for brunch, with orange juice.  Dinner was rice, leftover chicken curry, sauteed salmon, freshly cooked green beans (I cooked them in two different ways for variety), and the last of the cucumber salad.  There was tomato chutney, too.  Grapes for dessert.

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

- Dancer being so good on the way to the vet clinic and back
- A safe drive to the vet clinic and back
- The availability of medication for Dancer
- A sunny and mild day
- Being able to walk

Tuesday's joyful activity was watching the hummingbird and trying to take photographs of it.

Plans for Wednesday include gardening with M and picking up my medication refills from the pharmacy.  

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

Meal Planning Again

I didn't make a meal plan for the first two weeks of November, and that worked out fine, with the excitement of daughter coming home for a visit and my birthday celebrations.  My daughter had requested my chicken curry and rice and I cooked salmon fillet, that first week, along with a chicken and vegetable stew for when one of daughter's friends came to dinner mid-week.  The second week, my daughter and my friend R treated me to a variety of Thai and Mexican food, with plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week!

That worked out very well, but, now, it is time to go back to having somewhat of a meal plan, even if it is just a list of dinner options.  

Brunches: This week's brunches will be mostly leftovers and/or salads and sandwiches.  I might make us some French toast or waffles over the weekend, however.

Dinner Options:

Monday - Sauteed salmon with onions and tomatoes, rice,  tomato chutney, and cucumber salad

Tuesday - Leftover salmon and rice, with sauteed green beans, and chutney
Wednesday - Meatball curry and rice, with leftover green beans and maybe dhal

Thursday - Leftover meatball curry, dhal, and rice, cucumber salad

Friday - Japanese take out

Saturday - Leftovers or hot dogs
Sunday - Baked breaded shrimp, seasoned potato wedges, salad

Snacks/Desserts: The house is full of snacks and desserts as neighbor S brought another plateful of chocolates and gata (Armenian pastries) over on Monday evening.  Plus there's fresh fruit, home canned peaches, and ice cream (and yogurt for me).  I might make some bread pudding, too, to use up some bread ends/crusts.

That is the plan for the week.  We'll see how well it works!

How about you?  Are you meal planning?  

November Grocery Shopping Part 3

Yes, yet another grocery shopping pick up in November!

I guess, with daughter home, I need to shop for groceries, weekly.  I am also stocking up a few things (cake and brownie mixes) when they are on sale for the almsgiving and upcoming holidays if I am asked to bring a dessert to a gathering, etc.

I bought:

Aqua Star Wild Pacific Salmon Fillet, 1.25 lb$5.99

1 x $5.99 $15.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$7.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.00

Betty Crocker Favorites Fudge Brownie Mix, 16.3 oz$0.99

1 x $0.99 $3.49 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.50

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Betty Crocker Favorites Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, 13.25 oz$0.99

1 x $0.99 $2.69 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.70

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Betty Crocker Favorites Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix, 13.25 oz$0.99

1 x $0.99 $2.69 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.70

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Cheetos Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks XXTRA Flamin' Hot Flavored 8.5 Oz, 8.5 oz$4.99

1 x $4.99 $5.89 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.90

Farmer John Chicken and Pork Wieners, 12 oz$1.98

2 x $0.99 $3.49 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.80

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.80

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.70

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.70

Fresh Banana - Single, 1 ea (3 bananas)$0.68

0.98 lbs x $0.69 each (approx.)

Kroger® 100% Orange Juice From Concentrate With Calcium Vitamins C & D, 0.5 gallon (free item)$0.00

1 x $3.99 $4.29 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.30

Order Coupons -$3.99

CA Redem Val$0.10

1 x $0.10 each

Kroger® Clamshell Seedless Black Grapes, 3 lb$4.99

1 x $4.99 $8.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00

Kroger® Half & Half, 32 fl oz.$3.49

1 x $3.49 each

Kroger® Traditional Favorites Frozen Peas Green, 12 oz$1.25

1 x $1.25 $1.50 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.25

Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$2.29

1 x $2.29 $2.49 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.20

Large Honeycrisp Apple - Each, large/ 1 count$2.43

1.22 lbs x $1.99 $2.99 each (approx.)

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.22

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey & Smoked Ham Sliced Deli Lunch Meats Variety Pack, 9 oz$5.99

1 x $5.99 $6.49 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50

Private Selection® Fresh Baked In-Store Jumbo Croissants Bread, 4 ct$3.50

1 x $3.50 $4.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.49

In addition to the groceries (food items), I bought:

Brawny® Tear-A-Square® 3 Sheet Sizes Paper Towel Double Rolls, 4 rolls$9.98

2 x $4.99 $10.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Order Summary

Original Item Total$96.38

Item Coupons/Sales-$41.76

Fulfillment Fee+$0.00

Sales Tax (for paper towels)+$0.94

Order Total$51.57

Since I don't include things like paper towels in my grocery budget (I have a separate "Household Supplies" budget for paper towels, toilet paper, dishwashing detergent, etc.), I am deducting the price of the paper towels from my total.

Total spent on groceries: $51.57 - $9.98 - $0.94 tax = $40.65

November Grocery Budget = $181.26

Spent to date = $44.48 + $59.66 + $40.65 = $144.79

Balance left in the November Grocery Budget = $36.47

No doubt I will go over budget in November, especially if I host Thanksgiving, but, I'm OK with that.  I can "borrow" from the December budget, as needed.

As always, I am grateful for:

- Being able to buy groceries and go over budget, occasionally, if needed
- Being able to order groceries online and pick up at the store parking lot
- A safe drive to the store and back
- The availability of groceries
- Weekend freebies

Saturday's brunch was scrambled eggs with hash browns, made with grated potato instead of diced potatoes, because my daughter likes the grated version.  Dinner was leftover chicken stew with homegrown (and frozen) corn on the cob.

Today (Sunday), brunch was croissants sandwiched with lettuce and the ham and turkey cold cuts, with orange juice and bananas.  Dinner was the last of the leftover Thai food and grapes for dessert.

How are you doing with your grocery budget?  Do you have a separate budget for Thanksgiving?

Still Celebrating

Belated Birthday Treats from M

It's been a cooler day, today, with a high of 61F and a low tonight of 46F.  There was some rain in the forecast, and apparently it rained in some areas, but, we didn't get any rain in my area, just cloudy skies.

Today, I went to get my lab tests done in the morning.  This time, I felt like an old pro when it came to paying the parking with a credit card.  LOL.  I came home, afterwards and had a leftover hot dog for brunch.  

In the afternoon, my daughter had a video appointment with the podiatrist to whom her doctor had referred her.  The podiatrist would like to see my daughter in person to physically examine her foot before giving a firm diagnosis (which is how it should be), but, based on the virtual visit, seems to suspect that daughter might have sprained her foot as well as her ankle.  Which would explain why she is still unable to put any weight on her injured foot or walk without her crutches.  Depending on how severe the sprain is, it will take her several weeks to recover.  Daughter is currently trying to get a referral to be seen by a podiatrist down here, rather than go back to the Bay Area if she is still unable to walk.

In the early evening, M arrived to tend to the garden and he brought me belated birthday treats!  Tres leches cake topped with berries, crème brûlée, chocolate cake, and an eclair!  What a wonderful treat!  He also brought me more succulents for the garden, which we planted in the front.  Daughter and I enjoyed some of the treats after our dinner of leftover Thai food.

Today, I am grateful for:

- More birthday treats!
- M bringing me more succulents for the garden
- Medical insurance and access to medical care
- A safe drive to the clinic for the lab tests and back
- A warm house

Today's joyful activity was enjoying some of the treats M brought us!

Plans for the weekend include catching up on some housework and doing some crafts.  

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend?

On Thursday

 

Chocolates from Neighbor S

Neighbor S called and brought over some chocolates a friend of hers from church had made with organic dark chocolate and pistachio filling.  They were delicious.  

I have been waking up when my daughter does in the mornings to make her coffee and I did so on Thursday morning, too.  But, unlike on other days, I fell asleep again, twice!  I must have been tired.

But, in the afternoon, I was quite productive.  I made Dancer's appointment to get his injection and made a phone call to the auto insurance people to get an updated copy of a document.  Checked on the garden and took some pictures.  

Lemons on the Little Lemon Tree

The lemons on the little lemon tree (a sucker plant from one of the other lemon trees) are starting to ripen!  As you can see, the tree is barely as tall as the tomato cage M placed to support it.

Then, I ran the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen, a little bit.  Earlier in the day, I had cut open a pomegranate and there were spots of pomegranate juice splattered all over the place.  So, I took almost everything off the counter where I had cut the pomegranate, wiped down the front of the microwave, the fronts of the cabinets above the microwave, and the wall behind with a damp dishcloth and wiped down the counter, too.  I am someone who struggles to keep the counters cleared, but, this is how it looked after I took everything off and I think this is my dream kitchen counter!

My Dream Kitchen Counter

  

But, it is not my reality.  My kitchen is rather small and I have things I use on a daily basis which are stored on the counter.  So, after I cleaned the counter and the sink and cleaned the crumbs from the toaster, things were put back:

Back to Normal Kitchen Counter

I used to have the coffee maker on the counter, next to the microwave,  But, my daughter doesn't use it these days.  She uses a  Vietnamese coffee filter called a phin filter, instead.  I didn't want to get rid of the coffee maker, however, because it will be useful for making up to 6 cups of coffee at a time when company comes.  Today, I was able to make room in one of the upper cabinets for the coffee maker, so that's one less item stored on the counter!  So, I have the toaster and the microwave on this counter, now, along with a platter holding my daughter's medications and supplements, another glass platter holding some bottles of condiments and the cup holding cutlery and chopsticks, etc.  Not shown is the mess that is the other counter, along the other wall!  Some of which will migrate over to this counter, no doubt!  LOL.   

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- Another sunny and warm day
- Being able to nap

- A gift of chocolates from neighbor S
- Time spent in the garden
- What I was able to accomplish 

Thursday's joyful activity was spending time with my daughter.

Plans for Friday include a fasting blood test at noon and M tending to the garden in the evening.  Maybe I'll try to clear the rest of the kitchen counters on Friday.

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

On Wednesday

 

A Rose from the Past

I didn't take any new pictures on Wednesday, so am posting a picture of a rose from earlier this year.

Thank you for the birthday wishes, everyone.  I appreciate them very much.

Wednesday was sunny and warm with a daytime high of 76F.  I sat outside in the backyard in the morning, enjoying the sunshine and the warmth while I waited for M to arrive.  He brought me more succulents cuttings.  

In the early afternoon, the gas company technician stopped by to check my wall heater.  Of course it worked perfectly, without any delayed ignition when he was here! He switched it on and off a few times, had me switch it on and off, and it worked just fine.  He said he believed me when I said there was a delayed ignition, but, since it didn't happen while he was here, there was nothing he could do.  He suggested I called the company who installed this heater and complain to them, but, I've done that, already and the person they sent out to check it said that's just the way it is!  The gas company tech said I could continue to use the heater with caution and to call back if there is a bigger problem.  Of course, later in the evening, when I switched it on, there was a delayed ignition!  Sigh.

Later in the afternoon, I took a nap on the sofa.  After I woke up, I made us coffee and tea and watched the evening news.

We had leftovers and cold cuts sandwiches for our meals, today, with pears and tangerines for fruit and blueberry compote with whipped cream for dessert.

My daughter had a phone appointment with her doctor and she has been referred to a podiatrist since her ankle hasn't healed as quickly as expected.  Later in the evening, after work, she had a virtual crafts night with two of her friends.

On Wednesday, I was grateful for:

- The sunny, warm day
- M bringing me more plant cuttings and helping me with the garden
- The gas company tech checking the heater (a free service)
- Water for the garden
- Leftovers for meals

Wednesday's joyful activity was enjoying the sunshine in the garden.  

Plans for Thursday include going to pick up a medication refill that is ready at the pharmacy.

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

Birthday Celebrations

 

Birthday Doughnuts

Birthday celebrations started the night before when Neighbor S brought over dinner (hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, fruit, and desserts) and a gift.  On the morning of my birthday, neighbor S's daughter N brought me birthday doughnuts, complete with lit candles, for breakfast!  My daughter ordered Thai food for lunch and my friend R got us Mexican food and suddenly, there was a feast spread out on the table, with enough food for lunch and dinner and leftovers for at least another couple of days!

Birthday Feast

There were cards, phone calls, emails, and messages from family and friends (including blog friends), wishing me well.  Each one made me feel blessed.   

In the afternoon, I picked up some groceries and after tea, I took a nap.  

Later, after dinner (leftovers!), I took the trash cans out to the curb, did the dishes, etc., before going to sleep.  Daughter asked me if I had a good birthday and I told her, quite truthfully, that I did.  

On my birthday, I was grateful for:

- Being alive to celebrate another birthday
- Having my daughter home to celebrate with me
- For well wishes from family and friends
- Being another year older (and, hopefully, wiser!)
- Each day's blessings

My joyful activity was celebrating the day with my daughter, family, and friends.

Today, I spent a rather relaxed day, pondering various things, reflecting on my life up to now and considering how I want to live the rest of my life, however long or short that might be.