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Monday's Pickings |
When I wrote my first blog post on July 20, 2014, stating that it would be a blog about "this and that", I really had no idea that I would still be writing about "this and that" ten years later! Thank you to all of you who read and comment on my blog.
So, to continue with posting about "this and that", on Sunday evening, after I had posted my blog post about the warm weekend and how grateful I was for electricity to run the fans and appliances, around 9:00 p.m., the power went off! My block was completely without power. Fortunately, I keep a flashlight (or torch as I grew up calling them) near me and plenty of candles. I lit several candles and there was sufficient light to see to clean the litter box and do the dishes, but, I couldn't do much else! I didn't want to strain my eyes to try and read or sew by candlelight and while I crocheted a bit, I wasn't that interested in it. Fortunately, it had started to cool off a bit, so, the lack of working fans didn't bother me too much. Neighbor S called to say that her electric gate was not working and her daughters, who were coming home after having gone out earlier, couldn't find street parking. Before she could even ask, I told her that they could park in my driveway and she thanked me. I was glad I was able to help. I Facetimed with my daughter because we couldn't video chat as usual. Then, around 12:15 a.m., just as I was thinking that I might as well go to bed, the power came back on and, of course, I stayed up till past 3:00 a.m.! LOL.
On Monday morning, I called in Dancer's medication refill to the pharmacy. Then, I took the car in for a smog check to see if the exhaust emissions meet air quality standards; the smog check was required for renewing my car registration which is coming due. There was no one else ahead of me, so, the mechanic was able to check my car right away. My car passed the smog check, so now, I can go ahead and send in my renewal fees. I relaxed during the afternoon and read.
In the evening, when it had cooled off a bit, I took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning, put water to the back garden, and picked some Meyer lemons, red Serrano chilies, a handful of okra, and a sprig of moringa leaves. Then, I cooked dinner - rice, dhal with moringa leaves, sauteed okra, and sliced, sauteed hot dogs with onions, chili powder, and ketchup. Brunch had been a cheese sandwich.
I also cleaned and polished a brass candle holder, a small, round brass tray, and another metal candle holder with a glass globe. I had used both candle holders on Sunday night and they were full of melted wax which needed to be scraped out.
On Monday, I was grateful for:
- The car passing the smog check
- The produce I was able to pick from the garden
- Water for the garden
- Being able to help neighbor S with the parking for her daughters the night before
- Power being restored
Monday's joyful activity was picking the lemons and vegetables from the garden.
On Tuesday, I drove to the pharmacy to pick up Dancer's medication refill. This is the pharmacy located next to the doughnut shop. I bought an apple fritter, this time, instead of a doughnut. It was delicious!
In the afternoon, I made the appointment for my blood test prior to my next doctor's appointment. It's not until mid-August, but, I wanted to make sure I booked a spot, without procrastinating like the last time. I also checked the grocery ads for the week, although I haven't decided if I'll buy groceries this week.
In the evening, I walked for a little bit, chatted with friend R, watched some online videos, cleaned the kitchen a bit, and relaxed. Dinner was leftovers from Monday.
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Tuesday's Dinner |
On Tuesday, I was grateful for:
- Dancer's medication was available without any problems
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- Being able to make my blood test appointment
- Access to medical care
- Power to run the fans, etc.
Tuesday's joyful activities included enjoying an apple fritter for brunch and keeping in contact with friends through emails and phone calls.
Which brings us to Wednesday. Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M.
What are your plans for Wednesday?
Happy Blogversary Bless, I enjoy reading about your this and that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nuisance your power going off and nice that you were able to help your neighbour with parking. I'm glad your car passed it's smog test. Here we have an annual MOT (Ministry of Transport) test to make sure the car is legally road safe and we have our car serviced at the same time.
Thank you for your lovely email, I will reply later.
Thank you, Eileen. Sometimes, I think that, for someone who stays home most of the time, I have a lot to write about! LOL.
DeleteYes, the power going off was a bit of a nuisance, but, I was thankful that it went off late in the evening, when it was cooling off. Had it gone off earlier in the day, when it was around 95F, it would have been uncomfortable.
Thank you for explaining what MOT stood for! I've read many British blogs where they mention MOT tests and I figured out it was something like a smog test, but, didn't know what MOT was.
I received your email reply, Eileen, and thank you.
Wednesday this far has been hit and busy. Yesterday Bob bought some fresh goat meat from a local farm and volunteered to make Jamaican curried goat for tonight's meal. He gave me a shopping list, so I was able to find fresh coriander, ginger and garlic. But not fresh curry leaves (got a jar of dried) Looking forward to our meal tonight!
ReplyDeleteI grew up eating goat meat instead of beef. Jamaican curried goat sounds delicious and I've used dried curry leaves when I didn't have fresh ones. These days, I've several curry leaf trees growing in the back garden, as the roots keep sending up new plants all the time. Enjoy your meal. :)
DeleteGood morning, Bless! This is Pam. I enjoy your blog just the way it is and I am up to August 2020. That is certainly a year to go down in history. You did have a magnificent peach crop that year, though. Oh, they looked so delicious! Your dinner last night also looked very good.
ReplyDeleteHi Pam! Lovely to hear from you, again! Yes, 2020 was an eventful year, wasn't it? I did have a lovely peach harvest that year! Last night's dinner was tasty. :) Hope all is well with you and yours, Pam. Thank you for continuing to read my blog. :)
DeleteYour garden pickings look yummy! Happy 10 years of blogging! It just flies right by, doesn't it? I think I'm getting on your schedule because I have been staying up until around three here lately! Haha! Glad your power wasn't off too long. Ours has blinked a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. Hope Dancer is doing well!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mandy. Time does fly! I really need to reset my sleep schedule! I've got my days and nights mixed up! LOL. I hope you don't lose power and are able to keep cool. Dancer is doing OK, thank you.
DeleteYour dinner looks delicious and now I'm wondering what Moringa leaves taste like! It's great that you can pick them from your garden.
ReplyDeleteMoringa leaves are supposed to be very nutritious and good for you. They are eaten as a leafy green and are supposed to have a slightly bitter taste, but, I didn't taste any bitterness when I cooked them with the red lentils. Last year, the moringa tree didn't do well at all, and we pruned it. This year, it took a long time to come out of dormancy and I thought it had died, but, as soon as it warmed up to above 80F, consistently, it leafed out and it looks much better than it did, before. I think we'll keep it pruned and encourage it to branch out, more.
DeleteCongratulations on your ten years' blogging! I am glad to have "met" you and to have the chance of checking in on your "this and that". I especially like your posts on days gone by.
ReplyDeleteYour garden pickings are very bountiful, and your meal looks nice (I would have taken just a small portion of the okra).
What is to the right of the rice, in the foreground - potato?
Thank you, Lady Ella. I'm glad to have "met" you, too. :) I shall have to remember and do a few more posts on days gone by!
DeleteI'm thrilled with my garden pickings, this year. Yes, that is potato - leftover from the fried potato I made for breakfast, last week!
By the way, I picked the first three ripe nectarines, today! I'll have a piece for you, shall I?
Are you trying to make me jealous? I refuse to react! (But when you check my blog you might get to see how it feels. Haha!)
DeleteGiven I seem to spend a lot of time these days writing about how hard life is I'm probably not the best virtual company but thanks and maybe eventually I will be more fun to be around. x
I'll trade you a nectarine for some of your blackberries! LOL.
DeleteIt's ok if you spend more time writing about how hard life is, right now. You are being honest; life IS hard at times and it colors our days and how we feel about things. It's ok to vent about things. I know I've done it from time to time, myself.
Wow, ten years!! Congratulations! Your blog was one of the first I started reading, maybe 5 or so years ago. I'd never heard of blogs before then! Yours is one of my favorites ! The diversity of topics you write about makes it interesting. I hope you keep writing for many more years!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie. :) I'm enjoying my blogging and the community of blog friends. I'm not planning to stop blogging anytime soon! Thank you for continuing to read what I post!
DeleteHappy anniversary, Bless. I went and read your first post. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't remember when and how I found your blog, I think it was probably in 2018 or 2019. I am so glad I did.
Thank you, Nil. I think I came across your blog when I saw you had commented on another blog I had been reading and I thought to myself, "That sounds like a Sri Lankan name!" and I read your blog. At the same time, another blogger who no longer blogs told me about your blog because she had come across it. Then, I commented on your blog. Now, thanks to you, I know the Sinhala words for cell phone and computer! LOL. Those words were not in use when I left SL in 1973! :D
DeleteTen years! That's quite an achievement. It's always a joy to read your posts of 'this and that'. I love to her about your life from across the pond.
ReplyDeleteIt's now Thursday morning here. But yesterday, I went for a walk around a National Trust garden, then did some work in my own. Xx
Thank you, Jules. :) Sounds like a lovely way to spend a Wednesday, visiting a National Trust garden and working in your own, too. :)
DeleteTime flies when you're having fun! Congratulations on 10 years of blogging. Do anything for 10 years is indeed an accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteIt sure does, June, and I do enjoy blogging. Thank you. :)
DeleteCongrats on the ten years of blogging! I'm glad the power wasn't out too long. I really like how you and your neighbours seem to help one another out. I grew up calling them torches too lol
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. I, too, was glad that the power wasn't out for long; I kept thinking about all the food I had in the fridge and freezer! I do have some lovely neighbors and helping one another is what makes it a good neighborhood, isn't it? Yes, we mostly spoke British English in Sri Lanka, which isn't surprising since it had been a British Crown Colony for 133 years (1815 to 1948)
DeleteHappy Happy Blogiversary! 10 years - wow. What an achievement for you and I, for one, am appreciative of your efforts. I do enjoy reading about your daily life.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh. It's can be so disruptive when the power goes out. I'm glad yours didn't stay out too awfully long and you weren't forced to go to bed at midnight - horrors! lol
yum- Tuesday's dinner looks very delicious.
Those chiles are a nice deep red color.
Thank you, Debra. I've really enjoyed blogging these past 10 years. :)
DeleteI know! I was thinking I might have to go to bed early without electricity to keep me awake! LOL. Maybe I just need to pretend there's a power outage every night at 11:00 p.m.! :D
Thank you; the dinner was very tasty. :)
I froze the chilies; I'm thinking of making my own chili sauce, later in the year.