Monday, May 12, 2025

May Meal Planning - Week 2 Review

Wednesday Dinner: Salmon, Peas, Potato


These were my meal plan options for May Week 2:


Brunches: Scrambled eggs and toast (Monday)✔; Pancakes Waffles✔; Pizza from the freezer; Tuna Egg salad on crackers or bread (need to buy bread)✔; Soup and crackers; leftovers✔; tacos compliments of neighbor S.

Dinners: Macaroni & cheese with ground beef and vegetables mixture from the freezer (Mon)✔;
 Salmon with baked potato and green peas or broccoli;✔ Rice and curries with Shrimp curry from the freezer;✔ leftovers✔; or something quite different (breakfast for dinner /waffles; tacos from neighbor S)!✔

Snacks/Desserts: Crackers, fruit, yogurt, cereal, granola bars

Here's how it worked out:

Monday:
Brunch:  Scrambled eggs and toast 
Dinner:  Macaroni & cheese with ground beef and vegetables mixture from the freezer
Snacks/Desserts: Blueberries from the garden

Tuesday:
Brunch:  Mac & cheese with ground beef (leftovers)
Dinner: Breakfast for Dinner: Orange-Cranberry waffles (from a gifted mix) with homemade cranberry sauce
Snacks/Desserts: Spicy crackers; peppermint candy

Wednesday:
Brunch:  Egg salad sandwich (using the curried egg from the meal friend S brought me) & banana
Dinner:  Salmon with baked potato and green peas 
Snacks/Desserts: Spicy crackers; freshly picked strawberries (2) from the garden (there were 3, but, gave one to M), peppermint candy

Thursday:
Brunch:  Peanut butter sandwich & banana
Dinner:  Rice and curries with Shrimp curry from the freezer, eggplant moju and pickled carrots;
Snacks/Desserts: Orange (picked from the garden), apple slices

Thursday Dinner: Rice & Curries


Friday:
Brunch:  Cereal and milk
Dinner:  Rice, leftover ground beef mixture, green peas
Snacks/Desserts: Buttered toast, yogurt with blueberry compote, crackers

Friday Dinner: Rice, Ground Beef, Green Peas
(and chili sauce)


Friday Dessert: Yogurt and Blueberry Compote


Saturday:
Brunch:  Buttered bread and a banana
Dinner: Chicken Tacos, Lettuce, Watermelon compliments of neighbor S and family
Snacks/Desserts: Watermelon

Weekend Dinner - Compliments of Neighbor S
and Family



Sunday:
Brunch: Waffles with Cranberry Sauce

Sunday Brunch

Dinner: Leftover Chicken Tacos, Lettuce, Watermelon
Snacks/Desserts: Watermelon, peppermint candy

Well that worked out pretty well, I think.  I stayed on plan for most of the week except when I didn't!  LOL.

On to this week!  This week's meal plan might change quite a bit because my daughter will be visiting during the latter half of the week and we will probably get some food to go to celebrate a belated Mother's Day.

Brunches:  Tuna salad sandwiches; Waffles (leftovers); Scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast or fried potatoes; Ham sandwiches; French toast; milk and cereal; dinner leftovers; maybe pastries if we get some

Dinners: Rice and shrimp curry (leftovers); Rice and chicken curry with dhal and vegetables; Ham with mashed potatoes and broccoli; Pork chops with rice and green beans; Leftovers.

Snacks and Desserts: Fresh fruit, yogurt, granola bars, bread pudding, maybe a dessert from the bakery

I will need to buy chicken to make the chicken curry and the pork chops, along with a few fruits and vegetables.  I am planning to go grocery shopping on Tuesday (when the pork chops will be on sale).

How about you?  Are you making a meal plan this week?

On Mother's Day Sunday

 

A Bouquet of Roses

On Mother's Day Sunday, the temperature reached a high of 94f, so it was a bit cooler than Saturday.

Daughter and I decided we will celebrate Mother's Day when she is home, next weekend.

I did some tidying, sorted through a pile of paperwork and did some shredding, picked blueberries, watered the back garden, put away the dishes, washed all of Dancer's dishes, and swept and mopped the kitchen floor, finally.  

Brunch was waffles with cranberry sauce and dinner was leftover tacos, lettuce, and watermelon from Saturday's dinner.

On Mother's Day, I was grateful for:

- My mother
- My daughter who made me a mother
- Another sunny and warm day
- Water for the garden
- More fresh blueberries

Sunday's joyful activities included video chatting with my daughter and spending time in the garden.

Monday's To Do List:

- Lab appointment for blood work
- Meal plan
- Water the front garden
- Water the indoor plants
- Take the trash cans to the curb
- Paperwork/filing
- Decluttering
- Continue to tidy my bedroom (find space for the sewing supplies)

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

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Triple Digits on Saturday

 

Our High on Saturday

It was a summer day, today!  We went up to 100F.  I wore a dress for the first time, this year, and turned on the ceiling fan!  I'm not complaining though because the high on Monday is supposed to be only 72F and I'll be back to wearing a sweater.  

I did a little cleaning, today, scrubbed the toilet, dusted my desk, scrubbed under the stove burners, and ran the dishwasher.  I started on the paperwork that was piled on my desk, but, haven't made much progress.  I also picked more blueberries.

My lovely neighbor across the street, S, called me in the evening to say that her daughter N had made some chicken tacos and would I like to have some?  I accepted the offer gratefully and she brought me dinner:

Dinner Compliments of Neighbor S and Family

Chicken tacos, two types of salsa, lettuce, and watermelon.  Such a blessing!  There is enough food for a meal tomorrow, too. I gave S a bag of freshly picked blueberries, in return.  

On Saturday, I am grateful for:
- A sunny, hot day
- Neighbor S bringing me dinner
- Having blueberries to share with her
- Working appliances
- Electricity to run the appliances

Saturday's joyful activity was picking blueberries.

Plans for Sunday, Mothers' Day, include:
- Continuing with the paperwork
- Watering the garden
- Reading

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?  Wish all the mothers out there a very happy Mothers' Day, on Sunday.

On Friday

Neptune Roses

Friday was like a summer day with a high of 94F!  I loved it!  It was finally warm enough for me to wear a sleeveless blouse.  LOL.

I got some housework done, changing out the dust sheets on the living room sofas, doing a small load of laundry, washing one of my wool sweaters by hand, vacuuming my bedroom and doing a little paperwork.  Later, when M was here, I tended to the garden with him.  He enjoyed a bowl of my homemade yogurt with some blueberry compote and I gave him a jar of yogurt to take home with him.

I didn't get to cleaning the kitchen, so that's on the list for Saturday.

On Friday, I was grateful for:
- The sunny, warm day
- M's help with the garden
- Water for the garden
- Garden flowers and garden fruit
- Working appliances

Friday's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.

My plans for Saturday (another warm day according to the forecast), include cleaning the kitchen, picking blueberries, and more paperwork.

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

Friday, May 9, 2025

On Thursday

 

Another Rose

On Thursday, we had a lovely warm day with the afternoon high going up to 84F.  I loved it!  According to the forecast, we will have another couple of warm days and then, the temperatures will go down to the 60s by next week.

I completed a few more tasks on my To Do list on Thursday, including cleaning the bathroom, doing a small load of laundry, and making some yogurt.  

I also spoke with neighbor E about painting the living room and dining area.  He was ready to start on Friday, but, I needed more time to empty out the shelves so they can be moved, etc., and next week will be busy.  So, we might start on the painting the following week.  I'm looking forward to getting that job crossed off my list.

Brunch was a banana and a peanut butter sandwich.  Dinner was rice and curries.  Snacks included a freshly picked orange and apple slices.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- A lovely, sunny, warm day!
- Neighbor E's help
- Fresh oranges from the garden
- Garden flowers
- What I was able to accomplish 

Thursday's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.

Plans for Friday include:

- Paperwork/filing
- Vacuuming my bedroom
- Gardening with M
- Cleaning the kitchen

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

  

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

May Groceries - Part 1

 

May Groceries 5/7/25

I put in an order for groceries very early this morning (shortly after midnight, when the new prices went into effect) and selected a mid-morning pick up time slot.  The main reason for that was the sale on daughter's favorite brand of coffee for $7.99 each with this week's digital coupon.  Regular price is  $11.99 each.  The sales ad stated, "While supplies last" and when I put the order in, I received a notice that supplies were low!  You are allowed to use each digital coupon up to 5 times in a single transaction, but, apparently, there was a limit of 4 on the ground coffee.  I ordered the maximum number I could, with 4 ground coffee packages and 1 whole coffee beans package (we have a coffee grinder at home).  

I also bought a half gallon container of milk, which is not pictured, above.  

In addition, I bought some soap, which is not paid for with my grocery budget.  I had been waiting for it to go on sale to stock up (I usually buy one 8 pack of soap twice a year; I am now stocked up on toothpaste and soap for the rest of the year).

Here's the receipt:


Order Summary

Original Item Total$86.15
Item Coupons/Sales-$23.00
Fulfillment Fee+$0.00
Sales Tax+$0.82
Order Total$63.97

Item Details

15 Items

Fresh Banana - Single, 1 ea $0.77
1.02 lbs x $0.75 each (approx.) (price per lb. has increased 6 cents/lb.)
Irish Spring Bar Soap Original Scent, 8 ct / 3.7 oz $6.49
1 x $6.49 $8.49 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Kroger® Premium Coconut Milk, 13.5 fl oz$7.96
4 x $1.99 each
Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 each
Large Mangos, 1 ct$3.00
2 x $1.50 $2.00 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Ralphs® Vitamin D Whole Milk Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$2.99
1 x $2.99 each
Starbucks Espresso Dark Roast Ground Coffee, 12 oz$31.96
4 x $7.99 $11.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00
Starbucks Espresso Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee, 12 oz$7.99
1 x $7.99 $11.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$4.00

The total I paid = $63.97

The total for groceries only (without the soap and the tax on soap) = $56.66

May grocery budget = $150 

With my daughter coming home for an extended weekend visit in mid-May and spending $39.95 to stock up on coffee for her, I have increased my monthly grocery budget, this month.  That additional $50 is not coming from the car fuel budget, this time around, because I put gas to the car this morning ( $44.93 worth of gas @$4.29/gal. at the cheapest station I could find in my neighborhood as opposed to $4.65/gal. at the station near the grocery store).  The additional money for groceries is coming from what might have otherwise gone to savings.

The Armenian grocery store is having another one day only special on pork chops for $1.99/lb., next Tuesday and I am planning to buy some and some fresh produce.  Daughter and I both enjoyed the pork chops I bought, earlier.

As always, I am grateful for:

- The availability of groceries 
- Weekly loss leader sales and coupons
- Being able to increase my grocery budget
- Being able to stock up
- The convenience of ordering groceries online and picking up in the store parking lot

Have you grocery shopped yet in May? 

Going By The Lists

 

Neptune Roses on Monday

Monday and Tuesday were busy days for me.  I knew I had made a rather ambitious to do list for Monday and it didn't surprise me when I needed to move some of it over to Tuesday.

This was my Monday To Do List:

- Call in Dancer's medication refill - DONE
- Make his appointment at the vet clinic for his injection - DONE
- Pick up my own medication from my pharmacy 
- Go to the bank
- Meal plan - DONE
- Vacuum the living room and dining area (and kitchen and hallway) - DONE
- Take the trash cans out to the curb - DONE
- Dust the nightstand and chest of drawers (and dresser) in my bedroom (room of the week); do a quick sort through of the drawers - DONE
- Declutter 5 items - Decluttered 2 items - an empty pill container and the old rice pack/heating pad
- Laundry - DONE

I didn't go to the pharmacy or the bank because I needed to stay within easy access to a toilet on Monday!  Enough said!  

Tuesday was an errands day.  Tuesday's To Do List looked like this:

- Pick up Dancer's meds - DONE
- Pick up my meds - DONE
- Pick up the library book that was being held for me - DONE
- Go to the dollar store - DONE (Didn't buy anything!)
- Bring in the empty trash cans - DONE
- Go to the bank
- Declutter

I didn't go to the bank, after all, and I didn't do any decluttering.  I had mac and cheese with ground beef for a very late brunch and waffles with cranberry sauce for dinner.  I had some crackers for a snack.


Neptune Roses on Tuesday

It is early morning on Wednesday as I write this.  Wednesday's To Do List:

- Order groceries - DONE
- Pick up groceries
- Go to the bank
- Tend to the garden with M
- Pay bills
- Start clearing my desk
- Vacuum my bedroom

During these busy days, I am grateful for:

- Safe drives to the various places I went to and back
- The availability of medications for both myself and Dancer
- Working appliances
- Libraries
- What I was able to get done

Meanwhile, Dancer said he couldn't be bothered:

Afternoon Nap
(Yes, that's his carrier pad - he uses it as his pillow)

How is your week coming along?