Visiting Family on Saturday

Okra Flower with Baby Okra (below) and Bud (above)

I am always thrilled when I see another flower on the okra plants! They only bloom for one day, but, they are so pretty when they do bloom!  This particular flower has a baby okra forming below it and there is a flower bud, above it!  

Nearby, the sweet potato vine had another flower blooming:

Sweet Potato Flower

Today, in the morning, I did some cooking!  I sliced the rest of the pork roast that I had cooked, earlier, and stir-fried it with onions and tomatoes.  Then, I took a portion of it and added carrots and broccoli to it.   Then, I cooked dhal (lentils) and a moringa curry with three moringa pods I picked this morning.  I kept a little of each item for us for later in the week and packed the rest into containers to take to my cousin's, along with a jar of zucchini chutney.  Then, around 1:30 p.m., daughter and I went to cousin V's house.  Her sister R was there, too, which was really nice because I haven't seen R since early 2020, before Covid!  

It was slightly awkward because my daughter and I both wore masks and my cousins and V's husband N didn't.  V said we didn't need to wear masks since we were all fully vaccinated, but, we kept our masks on.  After spending a few minutes chatting, we went to the cemetery, all of us in one car (daughter and I still wore our masks for what it was worth).  The cemetery was quite big and well maintained; a Catholic cemetery and at least three other family friends are buried there.  

Afterwards, we went back to V's house.  My daughter and I had planned to leave right after the visit to the cemetery, but, V insisted that we stayed and had a late lunch.  She pulled out some curries she had in the fridge and her husband went to pick up some food from the Thai restaurant that I had declined to eat in, earlier!  It felt rather churlish to refuse to stay and have lunch after all that, so, we stayed and had lunch!  Of course, the masks had to come off to eat and they stayed off for the remainder of our visit!  

Earlier, when V and R were clearing out their mother's house, V had asked me if there was anything I wanted and I had said no.  She offered me some of her mother's crystal items, but, I declined.  Well, today, she gave me an ornament of a white swan with roses, saying it was from her mother!  I felt it would have been very rude of me to have declined it, so I accepted it.  R also gave my daughter a bag of clothes, saying she could give away any that she didn't like.  They all fitted her well and she likes them all!  V also wanted to give my daughter a pair of boots, but, my daughter's shoe size is bigger, so she wouldn't have been able to wear them.  My family is too generous!  V also gave me some plant cuttings - coleus and succulents - and I accepted them very happily!  They will be nice additions to my garden and they won't clutter up the house!  LOL.

We came home around 4:45 p.m.  I had a cup of tea and rested a bit.  Then, I cooked one of the packets of shrimp for dinner, while daughter put the rice to boil.  We had green beans with the rice and shrimp curry.  Then, I washed all the dishes and cleaned the litter box.

Today was a day for family and friends.  Earlier in the morning, my half-sister had called and later, cousin P called.  P called again, in the evening, too, and so did aunt C.  I also had a chat with friend R!   

Today, I am grateful for:

- A lovely afternoon spent in the company of two of my cousins
- Being able to visit my uncle and aunt's gravesite
- Being treated to lunch
- V sharing plant cuttings with me
- R giving more clothes to my daughter
- Phone chats with my half-sister, cousin P, aunt C, and friend R

Today's joyful activity was spending time with family.

Plans for tomorrow include getting all the donations ready to be collected on Monday!  

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

***************************

September Decluttering:  I am continuing to declutter at least one item a day in September, too.

9/1 - 1 Crossword book, completed (recycled)

9/2 - 1 T shirt (daughter's; to be donated)

9/3 - 1 knitting book (to be donated)

9/4 - unused cards (to be donated)

9/5 - 1 participation medal (daughter's; tossed)

9/6 - 1 seashell necklace (to be donated)

9/7 - 3 copper bowls (to be donated)
      - 3 text books (daughter's; recycled)

9/8 - 1 text book (daughter's; recycled)

9/9 - 2 metal spare parts that are no longer needed (recycled)

9/10 - 1 CD (chemistry lecture supplement; daughter's; tossed)

9/11 - 1 bag of small plastic toy reptiles and amphibians (3 snakes, 4 frogs, and 4 lizards; to be donated)

9/12 - 2 crocheted shawls

9/13 - 1 ice bucket printer paper tray

9/14 - 1 homemade iPad cover

9/15 - a set of 4 stem glasses (to be donated)

9/16 - 3 books (daughter's; to be donated)

        - 1 handbag/purse (daughter's; to be donated)

        - 2 telephone directories (recycled)

        - 3 magazines (recycled)

        - 1 knitted shrug (to be donated)

        - 2 zippered plastic covers that bedding came in
        - 2 storage boxes 

9/17 - 1 jacket (to be donated)

9/18 - 3 disposable food containers (given with food)
        - 1 hooded sweatshirt (to be donated)
        - more old make up (eye liner that was dry! Tossed)