Sunday April 30 was sunny and warm with a high of 78F. Monday May 1 was cloudy, drizzly, and cool with a high of 61F; it is a weather phenomenon that is called May Gray (a precursor to June Gloom) by our weather forecasters. Cooler ocean waters from Alaska flowing along the coast of California and cooling the air above the ocean, coupled with a downward air pressure which prevents the cooler air from rising causes a weather inversion which results in moisture laden cool air to spread inland in the form of clouds. The clouds will usually disperse in the afternoon as the sun warms up the air, which is what happened, today. Morning drizzle and clouds gave way to afternoon sunshine, with the clouds returning with sunset. I am always amazed about how abruptly the weather changes as soon as it is May!
I had trouble staying asleep, last night. I went to bed around 3:30 a.m., as usual, and fell asleep without any difficulty. But, I woke up at 6:00 a.m. and couldn't fall back asleep! I eventually gave up trying to fall asleep again and got up. It was cold for me, so I put on the electric space heater while I had my morning tea, said my prayers, and replied to blog comments, etc. It being the first of the month, I made milkrice for brunch and picked fresh flowers from the garden - roses and the purple Martha Washington geraniums - to place at the altar and the mantelpiece.
I felt tired in the early afternoon and tried to take a nap, but, again, couldn't fall asleep. I rested for about an hour and then, I got going with the rest of my day's To Do List. I'm still using the revised weekly cleaning list from 2020, although I've been tweaking it a bit as needed. I haven't been writing down my daily to do lists, lately, but, I'm thinking of making it a regular feature of my blog posts, again; to counteract the feeling I sometimes get that I am not doing any housework, etc. It helps to see it written down! For example, today, I:
- Changed the bed sheets
- Did a load of laundry (bed sheets/towels)
- Dusted and vacuumed the living room & dining area
- Did a quick clean of the fridge
- Took the trash cans to the curb for Tuesday trash pick up
- Cleaned the litter box
- Started the car
- Made a weekly meal plan
- Continued to repair the Log Cabin quilt
I also water the garden on Mondays now, instead of Tuesdays because M tends to the garden on Wednesdays and Fridays; but, I didn't have to water today because it rained a bit in the morning.
It was sunny in the afternoon and I did my walk around 3:00 p.m. Today, I walked for 20 minutes and I needed a short break after 10 minutes.
Brunch was milkrice and seeni sambol. Dinner was leftover spaghetti and sauce. Snacks included a bowl of cereal, yogurt, and grapes.
Today, I am grateful for:
- A little drizzle for the garden
- The electric space heater
- A sunny and warmer afternoon
- Working appliances
- Flowers from the garden
Today's joyful activity was greeting the new month with the traditional milkrice and fresh flowers.
How was your Monday? Did you do something special to observe May Day?
It's annoying when you can't get back to sleep. When I have trouble getting to sleep I play word games in my mind for example nouns ending in Y and work my way through the alphabet and I never seem to get to the end :) You did plenty of housework it seems, changing and washing your bedding and vacuuming and dusting and cleaning the fridge. I didn't do much on our Bank Holiday Monday apart from walk Tilly, it was one of those days when I didn't feel like doing anything.
ReplyDeleteI made up for my lack of sleep and slept for a total of 12 hours, last night/this morning! Mondays tend to be busy days when it comes to doing housework. But, I wouldn't want to do any housekeeping on a bank holiday, myself, so I think you did well to relax and enjoy the day. I'm sure Tilly enjoyed her walk. :)
DeleteI rarely complain about rainy weather because it means that I don't have to water the garden (though I can complain about anything, if pushed).
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't mind, but I may take inspiration from your cleaning lists.
Rain is such a precious commodity here (even in the years when we get quite a bit of it) that I will not complain! It is free water for the garden!
DeleteFeel free to use my cleaning lists, Lyssa, and modify them to suit you. In fact, I've updated mine a bit, to reflect the fact that M is now tending to my garden on Wednesdays and Fridays. Which means I only need to water the garden on Mondays.
Nothing special here for May Day, just work and errands and a call to my brother-in-law whose birthday it was. At least the Gray May comes with some afternoon sunshine. Entire gray days for a month would wear on one.
ReplyDeleteYes, the afternoon sunshine is a blessing; a whole month of gray days would be hard to get through.
DeleteSorry to hear you had a bad night. Monday night was like that for me, and I ended up downstairs for a while. Fortunately last night was better. We are also still having a lot of rain and the river level has gone up a great deal in a couple of days. A bench which had the river over the concrete base, now has water up to the seat! We go down every day to look, and hope that the houses down there will avoid being flooded. Four years ago we helped fill sandbags but we are getting a bit old for that now.
ReplyDeleteI usually can't fall asleep but don't have a problem going back to sleep! I made up for it last night, though! Glad that last night was better for you, too. I hope the river levels go down without flooding any houses. Yes, let some younger folk help fill the sandbags. :)
DeleteHi Bless, No, just the usual. The flowers are all in bloom up here, and the tulips and daffodils are so pretty! I hope you are able to sleep tonight.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your garden is looking lovely with all the flowers blooming. Are you able to see the wildflowers in bloom, too? The hillsides must look lovely. Thank you, Stephenie; I slept well last night and should be able to sleep well, tonight, too.
DeleteIt's been very grey here as well. That weather pattern there is interesting! I need to learn more about it. I know the cold Alaska current comes along the coast but not much about the effect on your weather like that. List making is very useful to not only remember what needs done, but also see what has been accomplished. I'm sure you do much more than you realized.
ReplyDeleteAre you getting snow, too, Celie? Do a search online for May Gray and you'll see the explanation of the weather pattern.
DeleteI don't always finish my lists and then, I end up focusing on what didn't get done and forget what did get done! Writing it down helps!
I know what you mean about writing things down. I am terrible at lists, but they help me keep on track a little better. Seeing things writeen down makes me want to get them done!
ReplyDeleteIt does help to write things down, doesn't it? Keeps us motivated! :)
DeleteI find that when I have a night like you had I am very unproductive the following day - I'm in total zombie mode. But you seem to accomplish a normal day's activities.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking how you probably really conked out the night following and reading through I see you slept for 12 hours. So a super good night of sleep for you. Hopefully you will get back on a better sleep schedule.
I'm always amazed reading a normal day's jobs completed from a homemaker's effort. It's a lot isn't it?
I didn't feel tired until later in the evening, Debra, and then, I had an early-for-me night and slept for 12 hours! LOL. I need to get back to an earlier bedtime, although I'll probably stay up to watch the coronation this weekend.
DeleteWe do tend to have a lot to do around the house, don't we?
Another month passed. This year is going by quickly. Xx
ReplyDeleteYes; time just seems to be whizzing past!
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