Friday's Accomplishments

Today has been a busy day!  A productive one, as well.  In the morning, neighbor T brought over something I had loaned her.  I ironed the table cloths I use to cover the tea trolley and one of the coffee tables.  My daughter and I finalized the almsgiving menu.  Since she's not feeling too well, we decided she didn't need to make the vegetarian pizza, after all.  Instead, I added a kale dish to the menu.  Then, I cleaned out the fridge.

In the afternoon, I went grocery shopping and bought the vegetables, fruit, and yogurt, I needed.  I put the eggs to boil while I rested a bit.  Then, I did the cooking; daughter helped with cutting up the vegetables for the soup and shredding the kale, etc.  Most of the cooking is done!  All I have to do tomorrow is cook rice, bake the dump cake, and warm up the curries.

Later in the evening, she and M rearranged the family room sofas and set up the Christmas tree.  It is a prelit tree but we didn't decorate it, yet:

Dancer's Tree!

Today, I am grateful for:
- All what I was able to accomplish today
- Daughter's help with the preparations
- M's help with the preparations
- Christmas cards and gifts arriving in the mail
- Working appliances

Stack of Cookies and Candy

One of my nieces sent me this stack of cookies and candy, in the mail!  I hope she received the gifts I sent to her!

Teapot from a college friend

This teapot was given to me by one of my college friends, one year, for my birthday, in 1976.  I lost touch with her after a few years, but, every year, I bring it out to be used during the almsgiving and I think of her and wish her well, wherever she is. 

Friday's To Do List:
- Clean out the fridge - DONE
- Cook the green beans - DONE
- Saute the boiled garbanzo beans - DONE
- Put the cooked cashews and lentil curries to thaw - DONE
- Do the final grocery shopping - DONE
- Boil the eggs - DONE
- Fry the pappadum - DONE
- Cook kale mallung - DONE
- Make the vegetable soup - DONE
- Set out the rest of the items needed for the almsgiving - DONE
- Rearrange the family room sofas to make room for the Christmas tree - DONE
- Have M set up the tree and bring in the boxes of decorations - DONE
- Decorate the tree
- Set up the winter village

The tree decorating and setting up the winter village will wait until Sunday. 

Saturday's To Do List:
- Bake apple dump cake
- Take out chair covers, table cloths, napkins, etc.; cover chairs, tables
- Pick flowers from the garden and arrange in vases
- Cut up fruits and arrange in saucers; cover
- Arrange a variety of sweets in saucers; cover
- Dish out yogurt into bowls; cover
- Pour palm treacle into sauce boat (to be served over yogurt)
- Dish out dump cake, cover
- Cook rice (2 types - white and red)
- Make salad
- Warm up curries; dish out into smaller serving dishes for serving to monks; bigger serving dishes for guests
- Serve up offerings to the Buddha and offerings for the Order of Monks
- Boil water and keep warm for those monks who prefer hot water
- Pour water and juice into glasses

10:30 a.m. - Everything should be done and ready

Friend R called and confirmed that she will come in the morning to help.  I'm hoping to have an early night, tonight, so I can wake up early, tomorrow morning!

How was your Friday?  What have you planned for the weekend?