Grocery Shopping on Tuesday

2/19 Groceries

I am glad I waited until today to go grocery shopping.  It was another sunny day, but it was a little warmer, today, and, even more importantly, it wasn't windy. 

Last night, I felt that I was having a bit of a relapse from my cold and cough.  I felt a bit stuffed up and achy.  I boiled some coriander and let it steep to make coriander tea, which is our cure-all for colds.  I added some preserved ginger to it, since I didn't have any fresh ginger, and drank it before going to bed.  I even got to bed by 1:00 a.m., which is early for me!  I didn't fall asleep, immediately, but, slept for a good eight hours, so I had a good night's rest, and woke up feeling much better.  I'll probably have another cup of coriander tea before I go to sleep, tonight, too.

I spent a relaxed morning, having my morning cup of tea and replying to blog comments, putting away the laundry from yesterday, etc.  I brought the trash can in (and put it out, again, later in the evening, along with the damaged recycling bin, for them to collect the old bins and give me replacement bins, tomorrow - they wanted the bins out by the curb by 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning and I know I won't be getting up in time to do that!).

I checked the mail box to see if this week's grocery ads had been delivered, but they hadn't been.  They are usually delivered on Tuesdays, but, sometimes, they get delivered on Wednesdays, which is when the prices go into effect.

In the afternoon, I went to the Armenian grocery store for this week's specials and a couple of other items. 

While I was at the store, I took a couple of photos of some different kinds of vegetables, which, I know aren't commonly seen in most grocery stores:

Chinese Okra/Ridged Gourd

Chinese Okra is soft and edible when it is young.  Left to mature and dry on the vine, it turns into what is known as a loofa.

Bitter Melon

Bitter melon, as the name implies, is very bitter! 

I didn't buy either of these vegetables, today.  Instead, I bought:

2 cucumbers @ $.20 = $.40
Broccoli @ $.49/lb = $.27
Sugar peas/Snow peas @ $2.99/lb = $.39
Tomato @ $.79/lb = $3.57
Green Beans @ $.99/lb = $.40
1 lb. bag carrots = $.39
2 lettuce @ $.50 = $1.00
1 papaya @ $.89/lb = $1.97
Apples @ $.49/lb = $.57
6 salmon steaks @$4.99/lb = $19.98
Total = $29.04

2/19 Receipt

February grocery budget = $75 + $5 from January = $80
Spent to date:  $5.00 + $7.80 + $10.51 + $9.30 + $29.04 = $61.65
Balance remaining in February grocery budget: $80 - $61.65 = $18.35

I think I am doing well with this month's grocery budget.  I need to buy some bread and milk, next week, and, probably more fruits and vegetables.  But, $18 should be enough for that.

The majority of the salmon steaks are for my daughter to take back with her - I will cook them, tomorrow, and freeze them.

I bought extra tomatoes to make another batch of tomato soup.  Other than that and salads, I don't have a meal plan as such for this week!  I usually buy whatever is on a special sale that week and take it from there.  I have cooked chicken breasts and cooked roast beef in the freezer that I could thaw for dinners during the week, with the vegetables I bought today and what I still have in the fridge from my earlier shopping.

I hadn't planned to buy any papaya, today, but there was one perfectly ripe one and I decided to buy it:

Ripe Papaya

After I came home and photographed the groceries and put them away, I cut the papaya and had a piece.  Later, around 5:00 p.m., I had a scrambled egg on toast and a cup of tea.  Dinner was part of the pork chop I had cooked earlier, with some steamed green beans.  I couldn't finish either the pork chop or the green beans, so the leftovers are in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. 

Both Aunt T and Aunt C called, today and I chatted with them.  Later, I watched news and another show on TV and knitted (still working on the sleeve of the grey sweater).  Still later, I video chatted with my daughter.

By the way, Dancer wants everyone to know that he is not slacking off on his duties; he still carefully inspects everything that has been bought:

"What did you buy this time, Mummy?"

Today, I am grateful for:
- A sunny, warmer day
- Being able to do my grocery shopping
- Weekly specials
- Phone calls from aunts
- Video chatting with my daughter

According to the weather forecast, we are supposed to have showers both Wednesday and Thursday!  Well, I don't have plans to go anywhere, so, it doesn't matter if it rains.

Wednesday's To Do List:
- Bring in the new trash cans when delivered
- Cook the salmon
- Make the tomato soup
- Organize the rest of the kitchen cabinets
- Paperwork/filing

How was your Tuesday?  How is your February grocery budget coming along with another week or so left to go?  What are your plans for Wednesday?