Starting December!

It is December, already!  This is the time of year when I feel the days are just whizzing by and I'd like to slow them down a bit!

The steroids are keeping me wide awake at night!  It was past 4:30 a.m. when I fell asleep, last night.  And then, I slept till 9:00 a.m.   I stayed in bed a little longer, until 9:30 a.m., trying to go back to sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep again.

My sister called me in the morning.  She had called me earlier in the week and left a message, but I hadn't received the message and so, she called again and we had a nice chat.  She had just had a lovely family vacation with her husband, children, and grandsons.  She said a mutual friend had told her that she had seen me at last Saturday's Sweet Sixteen party and that I looked well and nice with my "short hair" (I had worn the wig I received from the cancer treatment center).

Even though I had taken the day off from work, there were a few work-related emails from my supervisor and a colleague.  I responded to a couple of them, but the rest can wait until next week.

Later in the morning, I called my friend who had offered to prepare some of the dishes for the almsgiving, to ask if she needed a ride to the ethnic grocery store to buy the items she'll be preparing for me.  But she said not to worry, she can get what she needs at the regular grocery store where she works.  In other words, she won't let me pay for the items she's preparing. 

The pharmacy had sent a text saying two of my prescription refills were ready, so I planned today's errands around that.  I went to the pharmacy, then the adjoining dollar store for a few items, and the grocery store in the same mall.  I really only needed two items from the grocery store (two containers of non-dairy whipped topping) but I bought several other items, as well!  Including a 20 oz. packet of pre-formed hamburger patties on sale for $1.49 and a 2.61 lb. eye of round roast on sale for $9.36, which comes to $3.59/lb. (reduced from $15.63 or $5.99/lb.), because they had a sell-by date of December 2.  I'll do a separate grocery post, later.

I also got started on my holiday gifts shopping, as well, and picked up three items!

I had eaten half a roast beef cold cuts sandwich for my breakfast before I went shopping.  I had planned to eat leftovers from yesterday's lunch for my lunch, again, today, but, after I came home and put away the groceries, I decided to cook the hamburger patties right away.  Of course, it would have been nice if I had remembered to buy hamburger buns for them, but I didn't think of that when I was at the store, not even when I walked down the bread aisle!  Oh, well.  Who needed hamburger buns when there was a big potato still left in the basket?  I cut up the potato and made fries, boiled some frozen corn and had that with one of the hamburger patties, along with some salad:

Lunch

It was a big lunch, but I was hungry!  Apparently steroids also make me feel hungry?

I have more fries and corn left, and of course, the other three hamburger patties.  I will have them for lunch or dinner, tomorrow, and I'll probably freeze the two leftover patties for another time.  There was another tray of 10 hamburger patties, a little over 2 lbs., discounted to $3.99 and I debated buying that, too, but I have absolutely no room in the freezer, so I left it for someone else to buy.

I made a pot roast with the eye of round that I bought.  I added enough water to cover the roast, put in sliced onions, tomatoes, several cloves of garlic, some pepper corns, a little Worcestershire sauce, some salt, and a bit of green chilies and cooked it on top of the stove.  I will slice the meat once it has cooled and freeze for later.  I think I'll need to toss the big bag of ice leftover from the October prayer gathering to make room in the freezer!

Later in the evening, one of my cousins called and brought over a plate of noodles (with vegetables and meat) for my dinner!  As I said earlier, apparently the steroids are making me feel hungry, because I ate all the noodles she brought me!  And had the last of the yogurt for dessert!   I am going to gain all the weight I lost during chemo and more!

I also spoke on the phone with two of my aunts and another cousin today, so I start out the month of December with the Family segment of my life nicely plumped, with all the phone calls and a visit from my cousin.  I also video chatted with my daughter, tidied the living room and dining table, and washed dishes (although I've accumulated another stack, after dinner!)


Thursday's To Do List:
- Pharmacy to pick up prescription refills - DONE
- Dollar store for a few items - DONE
- Grocery shop - DONE
- Call friend S to ask if she needs a ride to the grocery store - DONE (she didn't need a ride)
- Tidy living room - DONE
- Dining room - clear table; change table cloths - DONE
- Cook - DONE

- Wash almsgiving dishes - NOT DONE!
- Bring bucket of clean litter in from garage - DONE
- Clean the litter box

 Friday's To Do List:
- Grocery shop for fresh produce?
- Wash almsgiving dishes*
- Take out serving dishes, basins used for washing hands, serving spoons, etc.*
- Take out plates, bowls, etc. for guests*
- Final cleaning - dust, vacuum, etc.
- Kitchen - counters
- Clean bathrooms/set out guest towels, etc.
- Rearrange furniture - sofas, coffee tables, tall round side table (for reliquary), trolley (for plates of offerings), remove blue & white vases near fireplace (so I can set the small sofa in front of the fireplace) - my gardener friend will help with moving the furniture
- Put cashews to soak
- Set out items needed for the transfer of merit: teapot, cup, and water basin; fill teapot with water*
- Take out chair covers, table cloths, napkins, etc.; cover chairs, tables*
- Candles/incense sticks & holder; lighter/matches*
- 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 & basins*
- Water the garden

* These things can be done on Saturday when my friend comes to help; if necessary, I will also call my cousin and ask if she can come and help.


Saturday's To Do List:

- Buy flowers
- Grocery shop -  if not done on Friday
- Pick up friend
- COOK!  Cashews, garbanzo beans, lentils, hard boil eggs, fry lentil wafers (pappadum)
- Clean the kitchen
- Take out frozen sweets and keep to thaw
- Any undone items leftover from Friday
- REST!

Today, I am grateful for:
- Phone calls from family
- Cousin bringing dinner over and visiting
- A sunny, warm day in which to run errands
- Bargains at the grocery store and shops
- Conversations with my daughter

How was your first day in December?  Did you have a good start to the month?