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| Time for Tea (WPSH prompt #12) |
Yesterday (Friday) morning, there was a group text from my friend who leads the monthly rosary prayers to all the participants in the group, asking who would like to host the February prayer gathering. She hosted it in January and asked then, too, but, no one volunteered to host it in February. Then, she asked a couple of the group members if they would like to host it, but, all they would commit to was an "I'll let you know". So, yesterday, she sent the text giving the dates she will be available to lead the prayers and saying she could host the February prayer gathering, too, if no one else was able to host it. I didn't think it was fair to her to have to host the gathering two months in a row. But, being the only non-Catholic in the group, I usually tend to give others the opportunity to volunteer to host the gathering, first, because I really don't want to step on any toes.
When it looked like no one else was going to volunteer, I offered to host the February prayer gathering, if it was OK with the others. I said I will host it on February 8, which is next Saturday. It doesn't give me a lot of time to prepare for it, but, February 7 is the anniversary of my mother's death, so it made sense to me to host the prayer gathering the following day to commemorate her. It will be the equivalent of an almsgiving as far as I am concerned and there was nothing my mother liked better than having people over and giving them a meal.
Usually, I host the prayer gathering in October and I prepare for it, weeks in advance. This time, I don't have that luxury, but, on the positive side, the house is in fairly good shape and I don't have to do a lot of cleaning.
So, what is the first thing I did, yesterday, after I volunteered to host the prayer gathering? Why, pull the slipcovers off one of the family room sofas and wash them, of course! Ha! Don't have to do a lot of cleaning? Well, then, let's do some spring cleaning, instead, shall we? Sigh. I was to wash the slipcovers on the other sofa, today, but, didn't get around to it. That is on the agenda for tomorrow.
Today, I picked up friend R and we went to the Sri Lankan store to buy a few items, including my tea, as they had finally received a new stock of tea.
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| Sri Lankan Store Purchases |
In addition to the tea (4 boxes @ $5.49), I bought a packet of coriander seeds ($1.99), a packet of mung beans ($3.98), a packet of a snack mix ($3.49), and a packet of papadam (lentil wafers; $1.29), and a small container of hair oil made from a variety of coconut known as king coconut or "thambili" ($4.49). My total came to $37.20. The groceries portion of it amounted to $32.71 ($37.20 - $4.49).
Afterwards, friend R and I went to the Sri Lankan restaurant, which is located about one mile from the store. I didn't take any photos of our lunch, but, R had the "appa" (known as "hoppers" in English) meal; hoppers look like bowl shaped pancakes with a soft, spongy middle and a thin crispy edge. The hopper meal included one egg hopper (with a soft-set egg baked into the middle) and four plain hoppers, served with your choice of chicken, beef, or fish curry and a spicy onion mixture known as "lunu miris". I had "indiappa" (or "stringhoppers" in English), which are a type of rice noodles; the meal included ten stringhoppers, served with your choice of chicken, beef, or fish curry, "kiri hodi" which is a mild, yellow curry made with coconut milk into which hard boiled eggs and potatoes have been added, and coconut sambol or "pol sambol". I couldn't finish my meal, so I brought half of it home. In addition to our meals, R and I both ordered fish patties to bring home!
Then, I dropped R off at her apartment and came home, had a cup of tea, practiced the piano, and video chatted with my daughter.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to stock up on my tea!
- Friend R treating me to lunch
- Some of my favorite snacks
- A safe drive to the store and back (almost met with an accident while trying to make a left turn!)
- Video chatting with my daughter
Today's joyful activity was going to the Sri Lankan store and out to lunch with friend R.
Plans for tomorrow include washing the other sofa slip cover and watering the front garden.
How was your Saturday? What are your plans for Sunday?
Tea drinking is in decline in the UK it seems. Not in my house!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have heard that tea consumption is declining with severe consequences to the economies of places like Sri Lanka that depend on the income from exporting tea. I tend to prefer tea to coffee, these days, so, will continue to drink tea. :)
DeleteIt's very generous of you to offer to host the prayer gathering, especially with such short notice. X
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules. I could have chosen a later date, but, then, it wouldn't have been close to my mother's death anniversary. It's OK, I'll prepare a simple meal and tidy up the place a little bit. :)
DeleteYour tea looks good with your fish patties! So nice of you to host the rosary group! And to commemorate your mom's anniversary. Andrea
ReplyDeleteThank you, Andrea. The tea and patties were very good! I am happy to host the rosary group. I usually do it in October, to commemorate my mother's birthday; this is the first time I am having it in February. But, the prayer group has been shrinking in recent years, so we should all host it more than once.
DeleteHow long will your stock of tea last you? I'm not a tea drinker at all, can't stand the stuff so give me coffee anytime.
ReplyDeleteI've discovered that there is a Sri Lankan restaurant in Bristol (about 30 miles away) so am trying to persuade my friends to try it out. I don't know that I'll be successful but I will let you know if we ever get there.
Each box of tea will last me about 6 weeks. So, the 6 boxes will last me a good 9 months! I usually try to buy my next lot of tea before I get to the very last box, though. The store doesn't always have this particular tea, so, I always try to keep a supply on hand!
DeleteI hope you do get to try out the Sri Lankan restaurant, one day. :)
Oh, and well done on finding another photo for the hunt.
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteYou're going to be busy this week preparing for the prayer meeting, but sometimes I think less time is better. You have a concentrated effort and then it will be done. I think your mother is happy that you volunteered.
ReplyDeleteYes, it'll keep me busy this week, but, at least I don't have any other engagements like doctor's appointments, this week. As long as I do a little bit, each day, I should be fine. Yes, my mother would have been happy I volunteered; she had such a "can do" attitude when she was well. :)
DeleteI am glad you did not have an accident. Sounds like you are on top of the cleaning at your house. Hope your Sunday goes well. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susie; me, too! :D There's always some cleaning to do, of course, but, I did a lot of deep cleaning in early December and there hasn't been enough time for things to get too dirty since then!
DeleteIt seems very unfair, for these Catholic woman, to *made* one lady, do all the hosting. I say this, as a born and bred Catholic, who finally gave myself permission, to Question. -smile-
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you, for stepping up, and doing this hosting! It ought to make the others, realize, they are being selfish.
Why do we do this...My-house-is-not-ready-for-company??????? It seems quite universal, to feel this way. -sigh- If we think about it, why should our house, matter... For a Prayer Group?
But no matter how much lack of common sense is involved, we seem to cave in, to the... I-had-better-get-cleaning! mode.
All in all, you are being very sweet to them. And a lovely tribute to your mother, who loved to "have people over." -smile-
*•.¸💛¸.•*
Well, the thing is, the prayer group has dwindled in numbers over the years; some people left voluntarily, others died. Ideally, those of us still in the group should host the gatherings twice a year. But, some of us, including myself, have been hosting it only once a year and at least one of us isn't able to host it, at all, due to circumstances we all understand and sympathize with. As a result, the lady who usually leads the prayers picks up the slack; she maintains that she doesn't mind it and she is keen to keep the group going. When she does host a 3rd prayer gathering, we try to make it a potluck so she doesn't have to bear all the costs of providing a meal.
DeleteThank you. I don't have any control over what others do, but, I do have control over what I do. So, I will start hosting the gathering twice a year, once in February (to commemorate my mother's death anniversary) and once in October (her birthday). In case you are wondering, my mother was born and baptized a Catholic. She later converted to Buddhism and I am Buddhist.
As for getting the house company ready - I tend to be rather messy! I am trying hard to be less untidy, but, if you were to visit me right now, this very moment, you will find stacks of mail strewn about on various tables, the bag of recycling in the living room (from when I was going through some papers to recycle), laundry hanging from the door frames, dust on the coffee table, and so forth! Yes, the state of the house shouldn't matter, but, I know that people do notice, even if they don't say anything (but, there used to be someone in the group who would comment!). If someone drops in on me, unexpectedly, then, I will probably say excuse the mess. But, if I expect company, then, I try to have the house look presentable! :)
That is kind of you to offer to host the prayer meeting at short notice. It will be a blessing to remember your mother in this way.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if there was any particular flavour to the tea that you like? We tend to use run-of-the-mill Orange Pekoe tea bags but my favourite loose tea, when I can get it, is Lapsang Souchong. That smoky flavour just appeals to me.
Actually, I could have chosen a later date, but, I wanted it to be near my mother's death anniversary, which is on Friday.
DeleteThere isn't a particular flavor to this tea, other than the fact that it is strong and it tastes good to me! I want strong tea because I drink it with milk and sugar. :)
What a lovely gesture to take on the prayer meeting on such short notice. I always felt you were a kind and generous soul. You are simply amazing. You will be able to judge whether it is better to prepare for weeks ahead, or days. I'm sure it will be more than fine, and much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely treat to spend the day at the Sri Lankin store, followed by a nice luncheon with some of your favourite foods. You should do that more often.
I could have selected a later date, Susan, but, I wanted it to be close to my mother's death anniversary. This way, I can't procrastinate on the cleaning, and so forth (you know how good I am with procrastinating!) Have a longer time to prepare is better for the budget as I can shop the sales (although, lately, the sales haven't been all that good). A shorter time means I will have to pay full price for some items. But, that is OK.
DeleteThe Sri Lankan store and restaurant are very tempting places for me! I find it very easy to overspend at both places! I will probably go to the restaurant, again, when my daughter comes home, next, because they make a dessert that she loves. :)
Oh Bless, your post made me hungry!
ReplyDeleteAre you expecting a big group for the prayer gathering?
LOL, Nil; you need to come for a visit, maybe during spring break!
DeleteIf everyone comes, there will be about 15 people. I don't think all will come, but, I will cook for about that many people.