Catching Up In Between Tours of the Garden

One of the reasons why I blog about my daily activities is, if I don't, then, I forget what I did, since I don't keep a separate journal, anymore!  I've been doing my monthly posts - updating my monthly goals, my monthly decluttering, etc., for the past couple of days and now, I can't remember what I did from October 31, onwards!  LOL!  Which just goes to show just how memorable the majority of my days are!

Hm, let's see.

Wednesday, October 31, Halloween - I spent a restful, relaxed day at home.  I slept in, did a bit of decluttering in the spare room, updated my monthly goals list, etc.  Friend R called in the evening and it looks like we'll be going out to lunch on my birthday!  Aunt C called too, later in the evening, to ask how my Halloween was.  I didn't celebrate it, this year; I didn't decorate, as such (only put the Halloween table runner on the coffee table) and didn't buy any candy, which was a good thing because I didn't hear any children out trick-or-treating in my neighborhood (had there been any kids and they had come to my door, I'd have given them some of the peppermint candies I keep on hand)

But, I managed to give myself a bit of a scare, later in the night!  I had made coconut roti (flatbread) for my dinner and eaten it with beef curry from the freezer.  Later in the night, as I was saying my nightly prayers, I felt like I had something stuck in my throat.  I thought maybe a piece of the roti, so I drank a glass of water to, hopefully, flush it down.  Except, it was still there.  Then, I gargled, and, in doing so, ended throwing up!  Even so, whatever it was didn't dislodge.  Then, I scared myself thinking that, maybe, I swallowed a shard of glass from earlier, when I broke one of my glasses - that a tiny piece might have fallen into my glass of water, which I keep on the kitchen counter, to remind me to drink water.  Of course, had it been a piece of glass, then, there might have been some streaks of blood when I gargled, but there hadn't been.  I wasn't choking or anything - I just felt there was something stuck to the lining of my esophagus, whenever I swallowed.  I had forgotten my mother used to say to eat a piece of bread when something like a fish bone is stuck in your throat, as that would help to dislodge it.  Instead, I swallowed half a teaspoon of honey thinking it might help, sat up for a bit (to let gravity do its thing), did some decluttering to while away the time and take my mind off the possibility of having swallowed a piece of glass, and went to bed, eventually, convinced that what had happened was scratching my throat when I ate the roti (maybe I didn't chew it enough before I swallowed it).

Dancer, too, got "tricked" and given his flea medications (which he did NOT like), but, afterwards, he was "treated" to a catnip sock (an old sock with a bit of catnip tied in the toe), which he likes, very much!  LOL.

On Thursday, November 1, my throat felt better, but there was still the feeling of something still stuck in my throat when I swallowed.  I ignored it, as I was still able to eat and drink without any problem.  But I avoided the leftover roti and had fruits and a turkey pot pie, instead!  I called the Sri Lankan store to find out if they had my tea and they said they had it in stock; I shall go there this weekend or on Monday to buy the tea and also, a few other items for the almsgiving, including a new packet of red rice.  I took my garden pictures on Thursday and, later in the evening, took pictures of the gorgeous sunset, although my cell phone camera didn't do justice to the colors I saw:

Sunset: November 1

It was much more vivid in real life.

Much later, that night, I remembered my mother telling me about eating bread when something was stuck in your throat!  I ate a slice of bread and butter, and everything felt fine!  No more sensation of something stuck in my throat!  Whatever it was, went away after I ate the bread!  Thank goodness!

On Friday, November 2, I slept in, then, spent the rest of the morning and the better part of the afternoon, writing my garden tour blog post!  LOL!  In the afternoon, I did a bit of dusting - the living room, dining room, and family room all got dusted.  It's amazing how quickly that can be done when the horizontal surfaces are mostly clear!  I had already dusted the living room and dining room on Tuesday, prior to the piano tuner's visit, so there wasn't a lot of dust, but I am trying to keep things maintained.

I also decanted the laundry detergent into the jar I keep it in and, since I want to see if I can actually get 30 loads from the 42 oz. box of detergent (that's what it said on the box), I made myself a label and attached a pen so I can check off each load as I go:

Laundry Detergent

Going to keep track to see how it works out.  The container is recycled - it originally held red rice.

Friend M came by to do the garden in the early evening.  He at once noticed the new plants and was pleased that I had planted them, myself, instead of waiting for him to plant them.  He recognized that that was a sign that I was recovering and feeling more like my old self.  I had been told not to garden when I was undergoing chemo, due to the risk of infection from the bacteria in the soil (especially with garden cats around) and I didn't feel up to doing much, afterwards, either.  He did a bit of cleaning up in the front yard and watered the garden for me.  I showed him the overgrown backyard, especially the "grove" of curry leaf plants, and told him I hated to cut down the plants that seem to be thriving and he said, very logically, "Then, don't"!  LOL!  It will look better once the plants have grown a bit taller and become more tree like, I suppose.  I might even be able to have a bit of shade in that part of the garden and grow some shade loving plants!

While he was working on the garden, I visited neighbor T, very briefly.  She is recovering well after her surgery.

Later in the evening, I went to the temple to attend the Friday night meditation session.  I didn't stay for the discussion, however, and left during the break.  On the way home, I almost met with an accident and just managed to avoid being hit by another car as I was making a turn!  Thank goodness for good brakes!

Came home and made fried rice for dinner, using up some leftover rice, half a rasher of leftover bacon, an egg and a bit of shredded lettuce.  Brunch had been a cheese sandwich and I ate some grapes after dinner, for dessert.  I felt like eating another slice of bread before I went to bed, but I managed to resist the temptation to have a late night snack.

Aunt T called while I was making the fried rice and I chatted with her for a bit.  Later, I video chatted with my daughter.

Yesterday's decluttering - two books from my bookshelves.  They were bought when I was a member of a mail order "Book of the Month" club, before I had access to all the information one finds on the internet, these days.  I used to belong to several mail order book clubs - crafts books, cook books, and history books.  I cancelled my membership several years ago, but I am only now letting go of the books I bought!

Books to be donated

In the past few days, I have been grateful for:
- Dislodging whatever it was that was stuck in my throat!
- Seeing a gorgeous sunset
- The plants thriving in my garden
- Neighbor T is recovering well
- The accident that didn't happen on my way home from temple, last night

Today, November 3, I slept in.  After I got up and opened the windows (another, sunny, warm day - in the upper 80s), fed the cats, etc., but before I had my morning coffee, I checked my fasting blood sugar; it was 116, which, according to what my doctors have told me is good; I need to aim for between 110 and 120 for fasting.  Then, I had my coffee and chatted with my daughter for a bit.

She went to the dollar store for her weekly groceries and found a couple of other items, as well, including a scarf, which was priced $1.99.  She said it caught her eye because of the color (her favorite dusty pink) and decided to buy it because it felt soft, which is a big requirement for her.  Then, she checked the tag and it was a brand she had heard of - Topshop.  I'm not familiar with that brand, myself, but, if she finds something soft enough for her to buy for herself, then I know for sure that they are soft!  I had her go back and buy a few more scarves for me, which she did.  I've my own personal shopper!  LOL!  She'll bring them down, when she visits later this month.  I think I found a few more holiday gifts to add to my stash!

In the afternoon, I called my aunt in Texas and spoke with her.  She is my stepfather's younger sister (the youngest of his four sisters).  It's been awhile since I last spoke with her and she was so happy that I called.  She updated me with all the news from that side of the family and reminded me that there's an open invitation for me and my daughter to come and visit any time (I'll have to coordinate such a visit with her niece with whom she lives, but, this step-cousin had already issued a similar invitation to me, when she heard that I had retired, so that should not be a problem).

Breakfast was a banana and later, I had two more of the coconut roti with curry and sambol for a late lunch.  I made sure to chew well before I swallowed and that worked well!  Nothing got stuck in my throat!  LOL.  Mindful eating!  How often do we gulp whatever we are eating without paying much attention to what we are eating?  I am so guilty of doing just that!  I tend to eat too fast, which is not a good thing.  I had a cup of tea in the evening and didn't feel hungry for dinner, so just ate some fresh pineapple that I cut, today, and some cheese.  Maybe I should have had a salad, instead - this is the picture of my daughter's lunch, that she sent me:

Daughter's Lunch - Today

Spinach, arugula, and radicchio, with orange bell pepper, red onion, rainbow carrots, and pistachios with mango chipotle dressing!

This was her lunch on Wednesday:

Daughter's lunch - Wednesday

Lettuce, tangerine, radish, carrots, purple cabbage, wonton strips, dry roasted edamame, with sesame vinaigrette.  She buys mixed greens or salad kits from the dollar store and adds other ingredients to them to jazz it up.  She likes her veggies - not at all like her mother!

Today's decluttering - three magazines (from 2017) that friend M gave me to read and recycle.  I have a problem recycling magazines because I don't mind re-reading and looking at the pictures, over and over again!  But, I'll pass them along for someone else to enjoy.

11/3 decluttering

Today, I am grateful for:
- A relaxed and restful Saturday
- Phone chat with my aunt
- Daughter finding bargains at the dollar store and being my personal shopper!
- A sunny, warm day
- A working dishwasher

I didn't make a To Do List for today.  But I did the dishes, washing some items by hand and putting the rest in the dishwasher.  Then, I wiped the stove top (there was evidence of yesterday's fried rice, as I tend to be a messy cook) and the counters.

I don't think I'll make a list for tomorrow, either.  Instead, I'll work on one or two items from the Mile Long To Do List!

How is your weekend coming along?  What have you planned for tomorrow?