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| Paperwhites |
It's December, already!
Yesterday, Friday, December 1st, was a sunny day, a bit windy, with an afternoon high of 63F. I picked fresh flowers from the garden to bring inside, some chrysanthemums and a few stems of paperwhites (the latter for the altars). Then, made my usual first of the month milk rice for brunch and enjoyed it with homemade seeni sambol.
I called the pharmacy to ask if they could mail my medications that were ready for pick up. I was told that because I am on Medicare, the prescriptions have to be picked up in person. I suppose it is a way to minimize fraud? Anyway, I went to the pharmacy in the early afternoon and picked up the medications. There was still only one person at the check out counter, but, the line wasn't too long and I didn't have to wait for too long. Or, perhaps, I'm getting more used to it, now?
On my way out of the store, I noticed that they had some potted plants for sale at the front of the store. There were the obligatory poinsettias, but, also, some red anthuriums! My mother used to love anthuriums and she grew many varieties, but, the red ones were her favorite! The plants, in 6 inch pots, were $24.99 each, which I thought was a little high, but, I had a 30% off coupon! I was able to purchase a plant for under $20.00 and I was happy!
In the afternoon, I did a little bit of mending and sewed on a button for M. He was here later in the evening to tend to the garden. He started pruning the fruit trees and watered the garden. He also brought me an Opal apple.
Later in the evening, neighbor S brought over two cheese filled puff pastries (bureks) she had made. She had called me in the morning to let me know that she was going to make them and to ask if I'd like to have some; I said, "Yes, please!" I had one of the cheese bureks for my dinner.
One of my dear friends had gifted me an online Advent calendar, which is my first, and I enjoyed clicking on the first door to open it. I did it while chatting online with my daughter and by sharing the screen with her, I was able to share the experience with her, too. Then, we sang a Christmas carol, and, as I mentioned to my friend, Dancer joined us and meowed along!
Today, Saturday, it was sunny, again, and the afternoon high was 67F (tonight's low will be 44F) I walked for 15 minutes, today, but, did only one walk. I will try to get in two walks, tomorrow. I watched some online videos, sorted through some papers, and watched some music programs on TV. I made a sort of curry with some leftover roast turkey - I say "sort of" because, in my opinion, adding precooked meat to a curry gravy, even when the curry gravy is made from scratch, doesn't make a good curry. But, I wanted a curry to eat with the leftover milkrice and some katta sambol for brunch. I had the second cheese burek for dinner.
At the start of December, I am grateful for:
- Sunny, mild days
- Neighbor S bringing me treats
- M's help with the garden
- The gift of an online Advent calendar
- The start of a new month
My joyful activities have included enjoying the garden flowers and watching some music programs on TV.
Plans for tomorrow include getting started on making holiday greeting cards.
What are your weekend plans?
An online Advent calendar sounds lovely and singing a Christmas carol with your daughter and Dancer joining in just made me go awww :)
ReplyDeleteDoes your pharmacy have a delivery service? I order our medications online then phone the pharmacy to ask them to pickup the prescriptions from our surgery and then they deliver them to our home all done within a week and free of charge, a wonderful service..
Enjoy your anthurium, I'm glad you treated yourself xx
I am really enjoying the online Advent calendar! There are games to play and activities to do and it's a lot of fun! My daughter and I like to sing together (although she says I sing off key!) and Dancer will sometimes make it a trio! :D
DeleteYes, the pharmacy has a delivery service and they used to deliver. It was free during the pandemic, then, they started to charge for delivery and I paid for it as it was convenient. But, now, according to the pharmacy, certain medications which are obtained through the government insurance program for seniors, called Medicare, are not eligible to be delivered and must be picked up in person. I might consider switching to a pharmacy with a drive through window for pick up which would eliminate the need to go inside the store. Then, again, if I had done that, I might not have seen the anthurium plant! :D
I love how you can share the advent calendar with your daughter. It makes it all the more special.
ReplyDeleteThe anthurium sounds lovely. I try to avoid poinsettias, as I can never keep them alive! Xx
Thank you, Jules. It's more fun to share such activities, isn't it?
DeleteI haven't had much luck with anthuriums, before, myself, but, they've lasted longer than poinsettias! How are your lemon trees doing?
I've just given them a feed this morning. I think they are okay, as I have put them up on a shelf, away from the cold ground.
DeleteI'm sure they'll do just fine. :) I want to get my apple seedling in the ground this spring. :)
DeleteI wasn't sure what an anthurium was, so I look it up. I've seen those plants before but didn't know their name. Is it hard to care for?
ReplyDeleteWe had one cat who would always get in my face an meow when I sang. I wasn't sure if she liked it, or it was bothering her. :)
Anthuriums are tropical plants, native to Central America, I believe. They like a warm and humid environment. So far, I've managed to kill the plants I've bought before (probably over watered them), but, I'm hopeful that this one will live longer! The plant is toxic, so, I'm keeping it out of Dancer's reach!
DeleteMeant to say your cat was probably wanting to join you and sing a duet! :D
DeleteYour turkey curry with leftover turkey would not meet your high curry standards, nor would the one that I have made sometimes over the years, using mushroom soup and curry powder as the main part of the sauce. I can imagine you cringing! But the leftover turkey curry I made a few weeks ago had a proper curry sauce and was pretty good on the whole.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I've never tried using mushroom soup and curry powder to make a curry, but, it doesn't sound too bad! :) My turkey curry tasted better when I tried it, this morning. I guess it had more time to absorb some of the seasonings, overnight in the fridge. I always find that chicken curry, etc., taste better the next day.
DeleteI also had to Google anthuriums, though I recognized them right away. I'd not known their name. An online Advent calendar sounds interesting, and a good way to share with your daughter, and Dancer!
ReplyDeleteI should have taken a picture of the plant! I'll post one, today! I'm having a lot of fun with the online Advent calendar!
DeleteI like the idea of you and your daughter singing a song and Dancer joining in! He really is quite the character. People always say that dogs are good company, but our cat Shadow was a character and brought such joy to my life. He was always there at the door when I came home and, although he rarely tolerated other people, he was always wanting to sit on my lap!
ReplyDeleteDancer is definitely a character! :D Sounds like Shadow considered you to be his special human. :) You must miss him.
DeleteMum would agree with you about using pre-cooked meat for a curry. She once ascertained that one of the local Indian restaurants did that - just poured different sauces on different meats - and now she refuses to come to any Indian restaurants! I definitely think marinated meat which has been cooked in the sauce is best.
ReplyDeleteThose Advent calendars are quite charming, aren't they? I have received one in recent years and this year thought about getting one but didn't. I am making an effort not to resist the season but there is a fine line between that and bullying myself into it. I'm gently pushing boundaries within what feels manageable. :o)
The anthurium was a great find!
Maybe I should have kept the cooked turkey to marinate overnight before I added it to the curry gravy. It tasted better, the next day.
DeleteI am addicted to this Advent calendar! It has games I can play and I've been playing them all day, today!
The first Christmas after my mother died (she died in early February) I found it very difficult to celebrate the season. I only made an effort for my daughter's sake as I didn't want to burden her with my sorrow. I didn't put up a tree that year and I only decorated minimally, with the items I had made which my mother loved - the crocheted throw she admired so much, the snowman wreath that she had requested me to make, and the Santa cushion covers she had sewed. And, I set out the nativity set she had given me. This might be the year to focus on the aspects of the season that are more meaningful for you.
I'm really pleased with my anthurium! I hope I don't kill it!
I will give it some thought, thanks. It's reassuring to know that you found it difficult too, even though your mother died early in the year, and Christmas isn't your own religious festival. Makes me feel less pathetic!
DeleteYou are not pathetic, at all. You are a very loving, caring person who feels deeply about people who are important to you.
DeleteYour online Advent calendar sounds like a fun thing to do and a thoughtful gift. It's nice that you shared the opening with your daughter.
ReplyDeleteI think your turkey curry sounds wonderful. And it certainly would be a welcome dinner in my house :)
Your paperwhites look very nice. I imagine the fragrance is lovely in your home. I hope we get to see your mother's flowers:)
I am really enjoying the online Advent calendar! It has the sort of games I like to play and I spend too much time trying to improve my scores! :D
DeleteThe turkey curry improved upon keeping in the fridge a couple of days - it gave time for the spices to fully develop. :)
I love how the paperwhites look and smell. I also love the fact that they return year after year, unlike my daffodils and tulips. :) You'll see the anthuriums in the next post.