Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Shopping on Monday

Japanese Treats

Today was the first day of daughter's week of vacation.   In the morning, I cooked semolina in an Indian dish called uppuma (or upma) for brunch.  Then, in the afternoon, daughter and I went to a Japanese store in Hollywood (a little closer to us than going all the way downtown to Little Tokyo/Japan Town) to buy a few things, including the Japanese treats shown above!  Two cream buns, two bars of chocolate (one dark, one milk), and assorted cookies.  Daughter and I had the buns after we came home and we tried some of the cookies after dinner; they were all delicious.  I thought that we could enjoy them while we watched the Tokyo Olympics, but, I've a feeling the treats might be enjoyed well before the opening ceremony is scheduled to start!  LOL.

Daughter also treated herself to some stationery and other items from the store while I bought two large plastic plant pots for $5.00 each and two packets of thin elastic for the fabric masks I want to make.  It was the first time since March 2020, when the first lockdown went into effect, that I've been inside a store, shopping in person!  Daughter and I both wore N95 masks, and since there is an indoor mask mandate in place again, everyone in the store was also wearing a mask.  

After we came home, I rested for a bit and then, took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning.  Afterwards, I cooked dinner - rice, chicken curry, and my latest zucchini experiment:

Zucchini "Thel Dala" (Sauteed/Tempered Zucchini)

Grated zucchini, sauteed in oil with dark roasted curry powder (thus the dark brown color), curry leaves, crushed red chili pieces, etc.  It turned out quite well.  In addition to the zucchini, there was leftover sauteed beetroot from last week, as well.  There are leftovers for tomorrow's dinner, as well.

Aunt C called in the evening and we chatted a bit.  Later, I called friend R and chatted with her.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to go shopping in person
- A safe drive to the store and back
- Treats to try
- N95 masks
- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was taking daughter shopping at one of her favorite stores.

On the way to the store, I happened to see something in the sky and I was reminded of the Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt and prompt no. 4: Head In The Clouds; shapes or interesting patterns.  I asked daughter to take a picture (I was driving) and she took them through the rather dusty windshield.  I know these are not clouds, but, they are an interesting pattern, wouldn't you say?

SPSH No. 4:  Head in the Clouds;Shapes or Interesting Patterns

And, even as we watched, another heart appeared:

Two Hearts are Better than One!


Note to self: Wash the car!  Or, at least, the windshield!  LOL.

I don't have anything planned for tomorrow, but, daughter is planning to go on a hike with one of her friends in the evening.  

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?




26 comments:

  1. Maybe you'll have to go back for some more treats to eat during the opening ceremony ... there's still a few days to go yet 😂

    I like your hearts in the sky photo and it's a great choice for the SPSH.

    How did you feel about going in-store again. I found that I wasn't as anxious as I thought I was going to be. We no longer have a legal requirement to wear a mask but interestingly many places and organisations are notifying the public to say that they will continue to require people to wear masks and will refuse entry to anyone who refuses. At least they have some sense even if our government doesn't!

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    1. Oh, please don't tempt me to get more treats! At this rate, I'll be double my size by the time the Olympics are over! :D

      Thank you! I wasn't sure if the photo would qualify for the SPSH, but, I'll go with it for now. :)

      Going into the store didn't feel bad at all! In fact, I felt quite comfortable! Partly because I am now fully vaccinated, partly because I was wearing a good mask, and partly because everyone else was also wearing masks. I might have been more anxious, last week, before the indoor mask mandate was reinstated.

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  2. Those hearts are so cool- PLUS these are genuine, not 'photoshopped' . It has only just occurred to me - we have been enjoying "Bosch" on TV - and that is set all round Hollywood - your neighbourhood.

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    1. Thank you, Angela. No, definitely not photoshopped! :D I haven't watched that TV series (not a big fan of detective stories) but, I read that the main character is an LAPD detective. :)

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  3. I would call those man-made clouds. And fun ones at that. :)

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    1. Thank you, June. I wish I could have taken a clearer picture, but, that would have meant pulling over, stopping the car, and getting out!

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  4. What a nice day with some delicious treats! I don't like going in the stores here, hardly anyone wears masks now and people look at you like you're crazy for wearing one. Have a great Tuesday. :)

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    1. It was a fun day and the treats just made it that much nicer! But, I am now dreading standing on the scales! :D Before this past weekend, fully vaccinated people didn't have to wear a mask indoors in stores, etc., but, because the new Covid cases are rising again, masks have been mandated again! And I, for one, am very glad! Thank you; hope you are having a great Tuesday, yourself. :)

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  5. What delicious treats! Those cream buns wouldn't have lasted long around here, either. Shopping inside a store, other than grocery or drug store is still a novelty for me, too and fairly rare, still. It is good to keep up with the masks, even after double vaccinations. The virus is sneaky and I don't trust it!

    I'm really enjoying both my black-eyed Susans and a larger version that I looked up and decided were Rudbeckia Cappuccino. They are brilliant, exuberant flowers!

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    1. The cream buns were soft and light (no cream inside, but, milk is used in the dough). I have been inside a drug store a few times (went there for both our vaccines and to get antibiotics when I had a tooth extraction), but, haven't been to a grocery store, yet.

      Your flowers must be lovely! I'm sure they are very colorful.

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  6. HaHa - I laughed when you said you may not have any Japanese snacks left by the time the Olympics start.

    We both worked in the yard today cutting the grass and doing a few other things.
    I like it when that's done and everything looks so tidy...for a day or two anyway.

    I continue to clean out and declutter. I am always doing so and it does make me feel so good.
    This morning when my husband got up I had spread out on the dining room table his many many many many many many many paint brushes & rollers.
    I said, pick your favorites.
    hahahaha I am laughing just remembering the way he looked.
    hahahaha
    Anyway, he kept six of his favorite brushes (because honestly how many paintbrushes does one retired man who never paints anything need - certainly not
    2 dozen) and I will donate the rest. Or give them to someone.
    Maybe the painter that's going to paint our house.
    :)

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    1. I am hiding the rest of the Japanese snacks! :D

      Well done on all the yard work and decluttering of paint brushes and rollers! :D I can just imagine the look on your husband's face! But, your approach was the correct one - pick what you choose to keep (not what you choose to dispose of). My problem is, I choose to keep them all! :D

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  7. How wonderful to be able to spend time with your daughter! My Monday was busy but today was fun. My grandgirl hung out here for a few hours before she had to go to work. xo Diana

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    1. It really is wonderful to be able to spend time with my daughter. Sounds like you had a lovely visit with your granddaughter. Hope you are having a lovely summer, Diana. :)

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  8. Glad all is well with you and you and your daughter were able to go to the Japanese store for treats. Cream buns? Yum! I heard CA was back to mandatory indoor masks. Are people complying? We're still wearing ours. We've never stopped. Our neighbor gave us some N95 masks but we haven't tried them yet. Yay for vacations! I hope your daughter has a good one this week. Denise

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    1. Thank you, Denise. The cream buns were delicious. I shared some of the cookies with M, today, and he liked them, too. I don't think the entire state is under mandatory indoor masks requirement, but, Los Angeles County is. I think most people are complying. The store I went to had a security guard on duty at the entrance and I'm sure he was partly there to ensure that customers entering the store were fully masked.

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  9. I hope you enjoyed the treats you bought.
    Whenever I see skywriting my mind immediately goes full Wizard of Oz and I look hoping to see "surrender Dorothy"

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    1. We have been enjoying the treats; perhaps a little too much! :D But, the two bars of chocolate have been stashed in the fridge to keep until Friday night's opening ceremonies! I've asked my daughter to plan us a Japanese meal for Friday night's dinner. :)

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  10. I wonder how those cloud patterns were made. I see no plane. Very cute anyway!

    Enjoy the treats and the opening ceremony. I too intend to watch it live, but I have only mugicha and no Japanese food. (Save me a Pocky? Onegaishimasu ne!)

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    1. I believe there was a tiny plane, although it wasn't visible even to us! We will certainly save you a Pocky! Maybe you'd like to join us for dinner? I've asked my daughter to make us a Japanese meal (I warmed up some frozen gyoza for our dinner, tonight!)

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    2. Gyoza sound lovely but I don't think I will make it in time, sadly. I'm watching it now. Gave Sri Lanka a cheer and thought of you.

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    3. Thank you for the cheer for the Sri Lankan team! :D My daughter and I stayed up to watch the first part of the Opening Ceremonies (it aired at 4:00 a.m. our time) and we both cheered for the SL team! But, we went to bed a little after 6:00 a.m., before all the athletes had finished coming into the arena. We will watch it in its entirety this evening. Daughter is making the dinner - Japanese cream stew, teriyaki chicken, green bean goma-ae, edamame with soy and sesame sauce, pickled zucchini (in lieu of cucumber), tsukemono, and maybe tsukudani (plus rice, of course). She is currently in the kitchen, preparing the meal! :)

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    4. Oishisou! Enjoy your banquet and the rest of the ceremony. A few bits made me cry in a good way (bit cross in places too - one UK commenter used the term "global pieties"!) and there was one bit I specially loved but I won't say till you have seen it.

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    5. There are all sorts of delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen! :)

      I am enjoying watching the ceremony, right now. I think they have done their best to strike the right note, considering the circumstances under which the games are being held.

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    6. I loved the drone logo/globe, was irritated by the many references to solidarity with refugees (given Japan's record) and cried at the high school kids singing the Olympic anthem. Also liked the use of wood from trees planted at the last Tokyo Olympics and the sunflowers from Tohoku. Let's hope now for a successful and safe games, under really difficult and sad circumstances.

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    7. I, too, loved the drone globe. I teared up when they sang, "Imagine". Yes, hoping for successful and safe games.

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