No Rain Saturday

I really need to come up with some catchy blog post headings, other than the days of the week!

Although yesterday's weather forecast said it might rain today (Saturday), it didn't rain.  It was cloudy and it did drizzle a little bit for a few minutes in the late afternoon/early evening, but the sun tried to shine through the clouds and there was no rain, as such.  The puddles from yesterday have all drained off although there's debris all over the roads and there is a downed tree in the next block.

I felt a little tired in the morning, so I relaxed and took it easy.  Finished up a bit of office work that I didn't get to on Friday, read and commented on blogs, replied to comments left on mine, etc.

For brunch, I made more Indian-style cream of wheat (or uppuma):

Indian-style Cream of Wheat

I flavored it slightly differently, this time, using some spicy relish a friend had made and given me, and peanuts instead of cashews.  I made enough for two meals, so I have leftovers for Sunday.  I ate the last of the bananas, afterwards. 

Then, I read more blogs and came across Nathalie's pictures of her breakfast of smoked salmon eggs Benedict and fried potatoes, and it looked so good, I felt hungry, even though I don't like smoked salmon or eggs Benedict.  Then, I saw the pictures of the pastries and cookies she had posted and I drooled!  Even though I knew I wouldn't actually enjoy eating any of the pastries, they looked so good!   Finally, I felt so hungry, I had to go and fix myself a big bowl of salad!

Not-Quite-Pastry Salad!

Red leaf lettuce, a grated carrot, about a third of a cucumber, some shredded roast chicken breast, and Catalina dressing.  I was no longer hungry after I ate my salad, but I still wanted dessert!  I decided to have an amaretti cookie.  This is the only cookie that still tastes okay to me, because the cookie tends to taste a bit bitter, anyway, so I just feel that the bitterness is more pronounced.

Later in the afternoon, I felt energetic enough to vacuum, since I hadn't done that on Friday.  I started with the living room and ended up vacuuming the entire house!  First time I've felt well enough to do that in awhile.  Then, I cleaned both bathrooms! 

Afterwards, I had a cup of tea and watched the news.  Then, it was time to make the dessert to take to my friend's memorial dinner.  I made what I call pistachio fluff - basically, whipped topping, instant pistachio pudding mix, crushed pineapple, and mini marshmallows all mixed together.

Ingredients

 
I had bought the ingredients last year to make the dessert for the almsgiving that didn't take place.  The memorial dinner seemed to be an appropriate occasion to use what was bought for the almsgiving.   I used two containers of the whipped topping, two boxes of the pudding mix to one can of crushed pineapple in juice and about a third of the bag of marshmallows.  This has to be one of the easiest desserts to make - just dump everything into a bowl (no need to drain the can of crushed pineapple) and mix!

Ingredients Ready to be Mixed

 

Except, as I was mixing everything, I got a cramp in my right hand!  My first thought was, "Oh, no, not again!"  This was the first time I've had a cramp since I started taking the magnesium, except I hadn't yet taken today's dosage.  I knew I wasn't dehydrated because I had been drinking water, but anyway, I quickly took my magnesium pill and drank two cups of water.  Then, I sat down and rested.  The two things are probably not connected, but I keep associating the cramps with the black out in December and fear that the cramp is a presage to a black out.  I figured I had done a bit too much with the vacuuming, scrubbing of bathrooms, etc., and now the stirring and mixing was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back!  Sigh.  Eventually, I finished mixing the dessert and sprinkled a packet of shelled pistachios on top, but I forgot to take a picture of the finished dessert.

It was a pleasant gathering, tinged with sadness, of course.  My late friend's older daughter had organized tonight's rosary prayer gathering and dinner.  My late friend's younger daughter lives in Colorado with her husband and baby daughter.  My late friend's husband had gone back to Colorado with his younger daughter after his wife's funeral.  There, he fell and broke several ribs and had to be hospitalized!  He is now recovering in a convalescent home in Colorado.   The younger daughter led the reciting of the rosary from her father's bedside.  It wasn't a video chat; they used speaker phones. Since I am not Catholic, I don't actually recite the rosary, although I know all the words, but I still participate by sitting and listening and meditating.  There will be a memorial mass at their church, tomorrow evening.  I have been included in the invitation to attend it. 

Dinner was served after the prayers were over.  I didn't stay too long after dinner (it was already past 11:00 p.m. by then).  My friend's daughter sent home a plate of food with me, so I won't have to cook, tomorrow.  After I came home, I video chatted with my daughter.

Today, I am grateful for:
- A day without rain to dry out a bit
- Getting the housework done
- The cramp was just a cramp, not a prelude to fainting and falling!
- Gathering together in memory of a friend
- A long phone conversation with my sister

Sunday's To Do List:
- Sleep in!  (It is 4:20 a.m. as I type this; prednisone keeps me awake!)
- Paperwork/Filing
- Tidy my bedroom
- Attend Memorial Mass (look up directions to church)
- Water the indoor plants
- Do the dishes
- Clean the litter box
- Do a load of laundry
 - Rest!

How was your Saturday?  What have you planned for Sunday?