Saturday, February 22, 2020

Catching Up on Saturday

I didn't feel like posting anything on Friday.  I started the post, but, I felt like there really wasn't anything much to write about!  Not that it has ever stopped me from writing a blog post, mind you, but, I think, yesterday, I was in a bit of a pensive mood by the end of the day and when I am like that, it's best not to say (or write) anything much.  I did write an email to my friend of many years - we have been exchanging almost daily emails for I don't know how long; over 14 years, I think.   I tell her things I probably haven't told anyone else!  LOL.

The day started out like any other - I had my morning cup of tea, replied to blog comments, visited and commented on a few other blogs, made and ate milk rice with leftover beef curry for brunch, practiced the piano, cleaned the litter box, cleaned my bathroom, and tidied the bottom shelf of the kitchen cabinet.  I didn't wash it, though; just pulled everything out, sorted things, and put them back again.  I have a 2.5 gallon container of emergency water at the back of that shelf, a glass pitcher/jug, the almost empty gallon jug of white vinegar (reminder to self - buy more vinegar), and jars/bottles!  Empty canning jars and glass bottles!  A whole box full of them!  Apparently, I never see an empty glass jar that I don't like!

Of course, glass jars are useful.  I reuse them to store things, I fill them with my jams and chutneys, with bulk bought spices and other items that come in plastic bags. Currently, I have three such glass jars being reused to root two avocado seeds and a sprig of lemon grass (which, incidentally, has rooted and is ready to be planted!)  However, all that being said, I really should limit myself to maybe a dozen non-canning glass jars!  And store them in a different place, so that I can use this shelf to store the rest of my supply of emergency water.

In the afternoon, I sat down to do my scrapbooking and I completely forgot that the screening of Harriet at the library was scheduled for yesterday afternoon!  I was too engrossed in scrapbooking!  Oops!

Anyway, I believe I am all caught up on redoing the scrapbook pages that had photos removed.  In the end, there were about three pages that held just a single photo which was removed and I was unable to redo those pages.  I found some duplicate photos from a couple of events that I haven't used, but, I think I might make a couple of new pages using some of those and, I know I have a few other photos tucked into drawers, here and there, that have not been scrapbooked.  But, that will be a project for another day or days.  It was fun doing the scrapbooking, but, at the same time, it was bitter sweet, as well.

M came by to tend to the garden in the evening.  We chatted about various things for a bit and then, he made the planting circle in the front garden a little bigger as the succulents growing in there had filled it in quite nicely and needed a little more space in which to grow.  He also watered the front garden for me.  Rain was in the forecast for today, but, I'm glad he watered the front garden, because the rain we've received so far, today, has been very little.

On Friday, I was grateful for:
- Memories
- Moments captured in photographs
- M helping me with the garden
- Video chatting with my daughter
- A friendship of many years and our daily communications

Friday's joyful activity was finishing up the scrapbooking!

Today, Saturday, I slept in and have had a very relaxed morning and early afternoon.  I had an email from another friend thanking me for the box of lemons I posted to her; I'm glad she received them.  I read a couple of blogs and commented on them and I wrote this blog post.  I spoke on the phone with my daughter, who called to say good morning.  On weekdays, she texts me good morning before she leaves for work and I text her when I wake up!  On weekends, she calls me.  Next weekend, she'll be home to wish me in person.  I am looking forwards to her visit.

Friday's To Do List.
- Clean my bathroom - DONE
- Clean Tidy the kitchen cabinet bottom shelf - DONE
- Have M make the front planting circle a bit bigger - DONE

I don't have anything planned for today, other than practicing the piano.  According to my cleaning schedule,  Saturday is set aside as a catch up day to do any cleaning that didn't get done during the week for whatever reason!  I have since modified this cleaning schedule, very slightly, by moving the bathroom cleaning from Wednesday to Friday, as I found that both vacuuming and cleaning the two bathooms in one day was a bit too much for me.  I added paperwork/filing to Wednesday, instead.  But, I haven't posted the revised cleaning schedule as it isn't all that different.  So, a very relaxed day of some reading and relaxing is what's on today's agenda!

Today, I am grateful for:
- My friend received her lemons
- What little rain we received
- Chatting on the phone with my daughter
- Afternoon sunshine through the breaks in the clouds
- A relaxed, restful day

Today's joyful activity will probably be some reading and relaxing!

Plans for tomorrow include visiting the Japanese garden and maybe going out to lunch with my friend, afterwards.

How was your Friday?  How is your Saturday coming along?  What are your plans for the weekend?


18 comments:

  1. I hope you're okay Bless, and that you enjoy your trip to the Japanese garden with your friend.

    Well done on completing the scrapbooking. A job well done but sometimes an overload of memories like that can be overwhelming.

    We've had plenty of rain ... too much, so it'd be lovely if some came your way. The ground is waterlogged and the water meadows at the other end of the village still look like lakes but thankfully the road is clear and open to traffic again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm okay, thank you, Eileen. That last scrapbook contained some painful memories as I could see how my mother's health declined and it also covered a fairly rough period in my daughter's life as she was subjected to bullying at the new school she transferred to.

      I hope you have a spell of dry weather so that the ground has a chance to dry out!

      Delete
  2. ((((HUGS)))) I was glad to see that the memories that made you feel "pensive", are also what makes you feel gratitude. Although bitter sweet, we are truly blessed to have them.

    I haven't been posting in a few days either. It wasn't because I was off gallivanting in the Big City for my birthday, because we ended up NOT going. My dad was feeling rough and not up to travelling. I was relieved to not stress him out, or "Dee" for that matter. In the end, "Dee" found another driver to take her brother back home to the Sault. (He spent a week here to recuperate from his surgery for carpal tunnel, so could not drive himself). I think I was feeling moody because it struck me hard that I had turned seventy, and that sounds very OLD. I had an afternoon nap on my birthday, and now I am over it. I just got very busy over the weekend. I am grateful that I am seventy and still have my health and can do lots of living yet. Yippee-ki-yay!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Susan. Yes, we are blessed to have our memories. I read your post about how your plans changed and you ended up not going to the Big City, after all. The wise "they" say that age is just a number and we are as young as we feel; you certainly have the energy of a much younger person. Long may that continue! :)

      Delete
  3. I too, love reusing glass jars, in which food comes. Especially the size, for pasta sauces. They seem right, for storing a good-sized-amount of dry items.

    Because of the fear of mice, I do not leave any mouse-likable food, out in their own container. Too easy for mice to chew through. They go in glass, or a few bigger hard plastic containers.

    Glass, you can see what's in it. Hard plastic, you can not. So need to check them often. Or I end up with multiples. -sigh-

    *•.¸💛¸.•*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glass jars are versatile, aren't they? As you say, they keep the food safe from mice and any insects that might try to get into our food!

      Delete
  4. I should have a cleaning schedule, too! Have a lovely new week☺

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is actually the first time I've been able to keep to a cleaning schedule, but, so far, it has been working out quite well for me. :) Hope you, too, have a lovely week ahead of you, Natalia.

      Delete
  5. I am also a collector of glass jars - they always come in useful. I'm glad you're feeling brighter today. X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They do come in handy, don't they? Thank you, Jules. Yes, I'm feeling fine, now. :)

      Delete
  6. You did well to finish the scrapbook work. You will be able to show your daughter when she comes, and also entertain her with your piano playing.

    We have just come back from an overnight visit to see DGD have one of her riding lessons and a jumping clinic. We have seen videos but it has been a long time since we have actually seen her riding and she is doing some serious jumping now. I just love to see all the horses at the farm where she rides!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Bushlady. There is one particular piece of music my piano teacher has told me I should play for my daughter plus the Happy Birthday song, of course!

      Your DGD rides horses?! How wonderful! My daughter wanted to learn, too, but, I was unable to take her for lessons.

      Delete
  7. I’m sorry you were feeling sad. Hugs xxx

    It’s so nice you get to see your daughter soon.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a nice gift, a box of home grown lemons! I have been picking my Meyer lemons recently, too. They are so delicious. They make the best lemonade! Today was great. I had a long chat with my neighbor and her family. I got lots of cleaning done up at the cabin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The lemons in my garden are also Meyer lemons. :) Sounds like you had a very productive day with all the cleaning! I can barely keep up with cleaning one house, I don't know how you manage with two!

      Delete
  9. I like glass jars too, Bless.
    I reuse different ones I get when I might buy something in them and
    I keep my my different lentils, beans and rice in glass canning jars.

    I always put them first in the freezer for a few days after I buy them.
    Is that effective against bugs, etc that may be in the food? Or just an old wives tale?
    I do it with my flours too, oatmeal....things like that.
    Do you?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I, too, keep my flour in the freezer, because, I take a long time to use up a bag of flour and, in our summer heat (I don't have central air), things turn rancid. I have also stored brown rice in the freezer for the same reason. But, I haven't frozen lentils and regular white rice and, so far, I haven't had any problems with bugs, etc. But, then, again, it might be because our climate here is so dry. I have heard that freezing will kill any bugs, so, if that works for you, then, I think you should continue doing so. In fact, I might start doing the same, myself! :)

      Delete

Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. Your comments are much appreciated. Please comment in English. Thank you.