Saturday, February 15, 2025

Mostly Sunny on Friday

 

Variegated Succulent

My blog post titles are starting to sound like a weather report, aren't they?   But, the rain has ceased and it was mostly sunny on Friday, lots of clouds in the sky.

I went for my blood test in the early afternoon and picked up one of my medication refills from the pharmacy on my way home.  

Then, after eating a Jamaican meat pie for my brunch, I went to the Armenian grocery store to get fruits and vegetables for the most part.  I didn't buy any dairy or meat or fish.  Just fruit (apples, papaya, grapes, mandarins, blackberries, one avocado) and vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, carrots, lettuce, cucumber, yams, cassava) and chestnuts.  This store has a greater variety of fresh produce and at more reasonable prices than the supermarket, for the most part.  Of course, they do not offer curbside pick up, but, I wore my mask and I felt comfortable enough shopping there in person.  Today's shopping trip came to $28.17.

I met neighbor S's husband at the grocery store as he was there, shopping.  I think he does the majority of the grocery shopping in their household.  When I came home, I called neighbor S and told her that I saw her husband at the store and she laughed and said that he had just come home, himself, and the first thing he said to her was that he had seen me at the store.  

M was already tending to the garden when I came home.  We chatted a bit and he did some weeding and tidying up in the back yard.  

Then, I am afraid I took a nap on the sofa while listening to the evening news!  I guess I was tired.  I made a cucumber salad and daughter and I had leftovers for dinner. 

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- Access to medical care
- The availability of medications
- Safe driving to the clinic, pharmacy, and grocery store
- M's help with the garden
- Working appliances

Friday's joyful activity was playing the piano after a long time of not playing it.

Plans for Saturday include meal planning and cooking; ironing something for daughter; and maybe doing some laundry.

How was your Friday?  Did you celebrate St. Valentine's Day?  What are your plans for Saturday?  



Thursday, February 13, 2025

Rainy Thursday

A Wet Chicken Little

It rained practically all day on Thursday, quite heavily at times. M texted to let me know he received a flood alert on his phone, but, I didn't receive one, although there were flood alerts in various parts of the city and people in the burn areas were told to evacuate due to potential mudslides and debris flows.  According to weather reports, we received over one inch of rain in some areas and there's more rain in the forecast for later tonight/early tomorrow morning.

Chicken Little came looking for kibbles because she didn't want to look for worms and insects in the rain.  She has taken to pecking at the glass door to let me know if she's there and there isn't any kibble available.  LOL.  I just wish she wouldn't poop all over my back steps.  M and I take turns washing the steps, but, it is a bit of a mess in between washings.


Chicken Little

There are some days when I am very productive, but, today wasn't one of those days!  I cooked mung beans for brunch, having put them to soak overnight, and daughter and I both enjoyed the boiled mung beans with lunu miris (a type of sambol; me) and sugar (daughter).  I ran the dishwasher and tidied up the kitchen a little.  I put away the washed and air dried dishes, later.  I watched some videos about Japanese culture and mythology and, later, I watched the news and a documentary on the public TV channel.  Daughter had a Jamaican hand pie with her coffee in the evening and we both had breakfast for dinner (scrambled eggs and hash browns) along with a salad.  

On Thursday, I was grateful for:
- More rain for the garden
- No flood alerts in my area
- Working appliances
- Quick and easy meals when I don't feel like cooking
- A warm and dry house

Today's joyful activity was watching some videos.  

Plans for tomorrow include going for a blood test in the afternoon and tending to the garden with M in the evening.  I might or might not go to the ethnic grocery store in between because I need more fresh produce and they tend to have lower prices than the regular grocery store.  

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday? 

Rain on Wednesday

A Rose Bud

We had rain again, on Wednesday morning.  A light rain, but, rain, nonetheless!  The garden plants were happy.  The rain had ceased by the time M showed up to tend the garden.  He brought me a cutting from his plumeria plant and planted it for me.  He didn't need to water the garden, but, he did some tidying up.  

I mended another sweater.  It's a cardigan I had knitted in 2002 or maybe 2003.  The yarn was a blend of wool and acrylic and the color was called purple heather, I believe.  Two of the buttons fell out and I sewed them back on and I mended a small tear on one of the front sides.  I had to use the burgundy colored yarn because I didn't have any of the original yarn left and I decided to disguise the mending by turning it into an embroidered flower bud.  I think it looks more intentional this way:

Mending Disguised as Embroidery

For those who might want to know, there is only this one rose bud on the right front half; there is no matching rose bud on the other side.  Although, there's no saying what might happen if I get another tear on this sweater!  Next up is a shawl I knitted

The day was fairly cool on Wednesday, with an afternoon high of 51F (10.5 C) and it remained cloudy and overcast all day.  It started to rain again at night and the forecast calls for rain all day on Thursday.

I spoke with my sister in the morning and chatted with friend R in the evening.  I caught up on my blog reading, tidied the family room just a little bit, and generally took it easy.  Not a very productive day, but, that's okay.  

Breakfast was tortillas with seeni sambol.  I had a Jamaican hand pie for my lunch and daughter had leftover rice and stir fry.  Dinner was cucumber salad and leftover pot roast with frozen green peas added to it.  We had grapes for dessert.  I will have to do some cooking, on Thursday.

On Wednesday, I was grateful for:
- The rain we received 
- M's help with the garden and the plumeria cutting he brought me
- A working heater 
- Phone calls with my sister and friend R
- Being able to mend my sweaters and cardigans, etc.

Wednesday's joyful activity was picking more oranges from the tree.

Plans for Thursday include tidying the kitchen and cooking.

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?  I hope everyone is safe from the winter storms that have been in the news today.


Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Productive Tuesday, Too

 

Frayed Sweater Cuff

One of my hand knit wool sweaters had a frayed cuff on one of the sleeves.  It also had a small hole, further up on the same sleeve:

Small Hole on Sweater Sleeve

I had just enough of the grey wool leftover to mend the hole, although I didn't do the neatest of repairs:

Mended Hole

But, I didn't have enough leftover wool to mend the cuff, so I improvised:

Visible Mending

I took some black yarn and sewed a row of blanket stitches around the cuff that was fraying and the other cuff, too.  The blanket stitching will prevent any further fraying.  

On Tuesday morning, my daughter had her follow up appointment with the podiatrist.  She required another injection as she seems to have an inflammation in her plantar fascia, as well.  She was also recommended to have her foot scanned and be fitted for a more supportive shoe than the one she is currently wearing, so, we will schedule that, next.  She has an appointment for physical therapy and a follow up visit.  

She took time off from work to attend the doctor's appointment, but, worked after we came back.  While she was working, I mended my grey sweater.  

I also brought in the emptied trash bins, looked through the grocery ads for the week (new ad prices go into effect on Wednesday), washed my bed sheets and remade my bed, started reading my library book, watched a few gardening videos, and cooked a pot of rice for dinner.  Lunch was pot roast sandwiches; dinner was rice and leftover sausage stir fry and leftover sauteed green beans.

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:
- Access to medical care for my daughter
- Her foot is healing, although very slowly
- A safe drive to the clinic and back
- Free parking at the clinic
- Weekly trash collections

My joyful activity on Tuesday was watching a video with my daughter.

Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M (although, there is a chance of rain in the forecast for Wednesday), some tidying up in the family room, and some paperwork.

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

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Productive Monday

 

Flower Seeds for the Garden (from the dollar store)

Monday was a sunny day, with a high of 71F.  I had made myself a To Do List with 15 things listed and was determined to get as much done as I could.  So, while I waited for the tea (for me) and coffee (for daughter) to brew,  I put away the dishes that had been air drying in the dish drainer, overnight.  

Then, I responded to the e-invitation to former neighbor T's Celebration of Life, expressing my regrets that I would not be able to attend.  Earlier, I had called and spoken with T's daughter, to make my excuses, as I have a doctor's appointment and a bone density injection scheduled for the same day and at the same time and rescheduling it was going to be difficult.  In any case, the Celebration of Life was being held at a restaurant and I am not yet ready to eat at a restaurant; I would have made my excuses even if I didn't have a doctor's appointment.

After that, I scheduled my lab test to do the blood work that is required to be done before the doctor's appointment.  

Dancer received his morning dose of thyroid medication.

In the afternoon, I went to the pharmacy to pick up one of my prescriptions that was ready for pick up.  The receipt showed that I had $2 in Rewards, so, I checked the food aisle to see if there was anything I wanted.  Several types of breakfast cereals were on sale and I picked up a box of cornflakes that was on sale for $1.99, so, free with rewards!  

Afterwards, I went to the dollar store that is next to the pharmacy.  I wanted to get a few household items (small trash can liners, an air freshener,  some quart sized storage bags; all of which were cheaper there than at the grocery store or online) and to see if they had the frozen Jamaican beef hand pies that we tried one time and liked.  The store didn't have them the last time I checked, but, this time, they had them on sale for $0.50 each, so I bought four each of the spicy and the mild.  Daughter had one for her lunch after I came home from the store.  I just had some dry toast because, on Sunday night, I had a bit of an upset tummy.  I spent $4 at the dollar store on food items/groceries.

Later in the evening, I cleaned out the fridge, took the kitchen trash and another bag of recycling to the bins and put the bins by the curb for pick up on Tuesday morning.

Daughter wanted to soak her feet before her podiatrist appointment on Tuesday, so, I got the foot bath ready for her and cleared it away, afterwards.  

Dinner was leftover pot roast, and I cooked some green beans to go with it. Daughter and I both had bread with our dinner.  I will cook rice on Tuesday, to have with leftover stir-fry for dinner.

Afterwards, I did the dishes and looked up the directions to the podiatrist's office, just to remind myself how to get there.  

I also gave Dancer his evening thyroid dose and cleaned his litter box.  

And watered the houseplants (don't have that many, just seven of them).  

The only items on my To Do List which I didn't do are a load of laundry and play with fabric.  They will be carried over to Tuesday.  Plans for Tuesday include taking daughter to her podiatrist appointment, doing a load of laundry, bringing in the trash cans, doing some paperwork, and playing with fabric.  Plus all the daily stuff like preparing meals, doing the dishes, giving Dancer his medications, cleaning his litter box, etc.  

On Monday, I am grateful for:

- My upset tummy has settled down
- My medications being available 
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and store and back
- "Free" box of cereal with store awards
- What I was able to get done 

Monday's joyful activity was watching a genealogy program on TV.

How was your Monday?  Do you make daily To Do Lists?  Do you find them helpful with being productive?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Monday, February 10, 2025

The Weekend

 

Hummingbird in the Blueberry Bush

A hummingbird was enjoying the nectar from some of the blueberry flowers on Saturday afternoon.  I took the picture with my cell phone, from inside the house, through the sliding glass door, and it's not the best picture, but, the bird was facing me, showing its belly.  Not that I could see any colorful markings.  I've no idea what kind of a hummingbird it is.

I spent a relaxed weekend,  On Saturday, I did the blog posts about the grocery shopping and the meal planning, reattached the towel rail in my bathroom which came off the wall (it had been loose for some time) with my daughter's help, vacuumed one of the air purifier filters which needed cleaning, paid a few bills, cooked a pot roast for dinner, and made a citrus drink with some of the oranges and lemons I picked from the garden.

On Sunday, I tidied up the family room a little bit, broke down several cardboard boxes that packages had been delivered in and took them to the recycling bin, took the kitchen compost to the garden, mended one of my sweaters, and spent a very pleasant hour or so playing with fabric!  I cut up some of my scrap fabric into strips and did a bit of crumb piecing with the leftover bits.  Then, the bobbin ran out of thread and that was my signal to stop and cook dinner.  

Breakfast had been tortillas cooked with eggs and sambol - my mother used to beat up an egg, add some sambol to it, and then, pour it on top of a tortilla that was warming in a frying pan on the stove.  Then, when the egg has started to set, you flip the tortilla over, so that the egg side is down and gets cooked quickly.  Cooked this way, the tortilla reminds me a little bit of a type of flat bread called godamba roti.  

Lunch was pot roast sandwiches.  I sliced some of the leftover pot roast, reheated it in a saute pan, and used it as a hot sandwich filling.  

For dinner, I made a smoked sausage stir fry with vegetables and walnuts and served it with rice.  There were pears for dessert.

Smoked Sausage Stir Fry

There are leftovers for tomorrow or later in the week.

This weekend, I was grateful for:

- Hummingbirds pollinating the blueberry flowers
- Lemons and oranges from the garden
- Sunny days
- Working appliances
- Home cooked meals

The weekend's joyful activities included watching online videos and playing with fabric.

Plans for Monday include picking up one of my prescriptions from the pharmacy, doing some housework, taking the trash cans to the curb, and more playing with fabric!

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

Saturday, February 8, 2025

February Meal Planning: Week 1 Review & Week 2 Plan

This was the meal plan for February Week 1 Meal Plan (2/1 - 2/7): 

Brunches: Milkrice with sambols (Saturday and Sunday)✓; eggs, sausages, toast✓; peanut butter sandwiches with bananas, French toast✓; oatmeal; pancakes with sausages fried rice, hamburgers, banana muffins

Dinners: Leftover fried rice (Saturday)✓; beef curry with rice and vegetables; ground beef with  potatoes and/or rice and vegetables; beef stir fry with vegetables over rice; pizza and salad, chimichangas, salmon with rice and vegetables, leftovers.

Snacks/Desserts: Fresh fruit✓; smoothies; bread pudding and/or banana muffins✓; cereal and milk✓; peanut butter & banana toast; yogurt; cheetos✓

Here's how it worked out:

Saturday:
Brunch: Milkrice with assorted sambols (seeni sambol, katta sambol, lunu miris
Dinner: Leftover fried rice

Sunday:
Brunch: Leftover milkrice with assorted sambols and/or sugar
Dinner: Salad and chimichangas from the freezer

Monday:
Brunch: French toast and sausages
Dinner: Ground beef with vegetables (red onion, cabbage, bell pepper, snow peas, tomato, etc., shredded in a food processor) added to it along with spices; served over rice (daughter) and baked potato (me)

Tuesday:
Brunch:  Scrambled eggs, leftover sausages, toast
Dinner: Leftover ground beef mixture with rice

Wednesday:
Brunch:  Fried rice made with leftover rice, leftover ground beef, scrambled egg, green peas, and peanuts
Dinner: Rice, salmon, vegetables (carrots, broccoli, green beans)

Thursday:
Brunch: Hamburgers, fries, milkshake
Dinner: Leftovers/toast and seeni sambol

Friday:
Brunch: Banana muffins, cereal & milk
Dinner: Pizza & salad

Once again, I went off the meal plan quite a bit, this week!  For one reason or another, I didn't feel like cooking much.  Also, with my sleep schedule being so off, I am often sleeping till late morning or, even noon, then I make us our morning tea or coffee, after which neither of us wants breakfast or brunch.  What I am referring to as brunch is often eaten once daughter gets off work for the day, around 5:00 or 5:30 p.m.  I have been calling it brunch, but, daughter says it is lunch, and I know that some people might even have their dinner at that time.  Then, we will have our cups of evening tea around 6:30 p.m. while I watch news. I usually cook dinner after I finish watching news and we usually eat our dinner around 8:30 p.m. (which is how it has always been).  But, lately, I haven't felt like cooking in the evenings, so I've been going off the plan for dinner.  I know that I need to be better about meal prep and batch cooking, but, a lot depends on my energy levels.

Anyway, it's a new week, so here's the plan for February Week 2 (2/8/25 - 2/14/25):

Lunches: Leftover pizza with salad (Saturday), pancakes and sausages, scrambled eggs with bacon and fried potatoes or toast, boiled mung beans with sambol, tortillas with egg and sambol

Dinners: Pot roast with rice and vegetables (Saturday), smoked sausage stir-fry with rice, chicken curry with rice and sauteed green beans. sauteed cabbage, and spicy sauteed potatoes; leftovers

Snacks: Fresh fruits, banana muffins, smoothies, tuna salad and crackers, Cheetos, etc.

Maybe I'll keep to the plan, this week.  If not, there's always ramen noodles or tuna salad sandwiches!

Are you meal planning?  If so, have you been keeping to your meal plan?  

February Grocery Shopping - Part 2

I put in an order and picked up more groceries on Friday, February. 7.  Only six days after the previous grocery pick up, but, we were out of half & half for my daughter's coffee and there were a couple of very good sales to take advantage of.  

Here's the receipt with my comments in blue.  I bought:


Total Savings: $64.15 (= $57.20 from sales discounts and coupons + $6.95 pick up fee which was waived)

Order Summary

Original Item Total$130.64
Item Coupons/Sales-$57.20
Fulfillment Fee+$0.00
Sales Tax$0.00
Order Total$73.44

Item Details

30 Items

CA Redem Val$0.10
1 x $0.10 each
Fresh Banana - Single, 1 ea$0.72
1.05 lbs x $0.68 each (approx.)
Heinz Tomato Ketchup, 38 oz$3.49
1 x $3.49 $6.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa Smoked Sausage, 14 oz$8.97
3 x $2.99 $5.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Kroger® Grade AA Large Cage Free White Eggs, 12 ct$7.99
1 x $7.99 each
Kroger® Half & Half, 1 pt$2.69
1 x $2.69 each
Kroger® Wild Caught Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5 oz (For Dancer)$10.00
10 x $1.00 $1.29 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.29
Mission® Soft Taco Flour Tortillas, 10 ct / 17.5 oz$1.79
1 x $1.79 $3.49 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.70
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Mott's® 100% Original Apple Juice, 64 fl oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 $4.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Private Selection® Pure Vanilla Extract, 2 fl oz$3.99
1 x $3.99 $6.49 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Quaker® Original Life® Cereal, 13 oz$2.98
2 x $1.49 $4.69 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.20
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.20
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Ralphs® Vitamin D Whole Milk Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$2.79
1 x $2.79 $2.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.20
Red Baron Meat Trio Brick Oven Frozen Pizza, 18.22 oz$2.99
1 x $2.99 $6.49 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Red Baron Pepperoni Classic Crust Frozen Pizza, 20.60 oz$2.99
1 x $2.99 $6.49 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Simple Truth® Walnut Halves & Pieces, 12 oz$5.98
2 x $2.99 $8.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$5.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$5.00
Starbucks Espresso Dark Roast Ground Coffee, 12 oz$13.98
2 x $6.99 $11.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

I paid a total of $73.44.

However, the tuna is for Dancer (he still has some of the cans I bought earlier, but, this was a good sale at $1 per can, so, I stocked up)

My grocery total, minus the $10 for Dancer's tuna, came to $63.44.

My February grocery budget is $184.55 (after deducting what I overspent in January).

Spent to date: $60.21 (2/1/25) + $63.44 (2/7/25) = $123.65

Balance left: $60.90

In other words, I have spent 66% of my February budget in only the first week!

Of course, part of it is because I stocked up on certain items that were on sale, some of which, such as the smoked sausages, will last well beyond February.

I am not too concerned at this point.  If I go over February's budget, I can "borrow" from the March budget.  However, I will strive to keep to the budget I have set for ourselves, and not go over.  I am still testing the theory that I can feed two people for $200 a month and still allow for some treats and splurges.

Obviously, this is not a grocery shopping order based on meals for the coming week.  There are no vegetables or fruit, other than the bananas.  That's because I still have vegetables and fruit in the fridge, plus the fresh oranges and lemons from the garden.  I will do a separate meal planning post.

As always, I am grateful for:

- Being able to order groceries online and pick up/have them brought to the car
- The availability of the items I want (especially the eggs; M said he went to two stores and they were out of eggs, he eventually bought some from a farmer's market)
- Being able to afford groceries
- Being able to go over budget, if needed
- Being able to take advantage of sales and stock up


Have you gone grocery shopping in February, yet?  Are you finding some good sales?  

Friday

 

Friday Sunset

It rained in the early morning hours of Friday and the rest of the morning was rather overcast.  But, we had some sunshine in the afternoon. Clouds were moving in later and the sunset was more or less hidden by them.  

M texted in the early afternoon, stating that two of his Friday clients had cancelled today's visits (probably due to the rain) so he was headed over to tend to my garden, earlier than usual.  I served him some of the muffins I had made and we chatted a bit.  Today marks the 19th anniversary of my mother's death and M was the last person to see her alive.  He had been tending to the garden, that day, too, and mother had come to the back door to ask how things were going and he had given her a thumbs up.  Then, she had gone back inside the house and sat in her chair.  M's aunt Katy, who was a neighbor, came over to check on my mother a short time later, and found her unresponsive, slumped over in her chair. It was M who called the paramedics and then, called me at work.  

I ordered more groceries, today, and picked up the items in the early evening.  I spent more than I should have, but, there were some good sales and I wanted to stock up.  I will do a grocery post, later.  

I picked up two frozen pizzas ($2.99 each) and daughter and I shared one for a late lunch/early dinner.  The other will be frozen for another day.  

I mended another wool sweater I had knitted - one of the sleeves had a cuff that was tearing.  I unpicked the cuff part way and reknitted it.  Luckily, I had leftover wool from that sweater, so you can't see the mending.  I have another sweater with a sleeve that is starting to tear along the inner edge, near the wrist, so that's another one I will have to mend.  But, I don't have any matching wool, so, I'll have to do some visible mending and make it look intentional!

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being my mother's daughter
- M's help with the garden
- Being able to order groceries online and have them brought to the car
- Pleasant store workers
- A safe drive to the grocery store and back

Today's joyful activities included remembering my mother.

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend?


Friday, February 7, 2025

Rain on Thursday, Too

Banana-Blueberry-Walnut Muffins

Rainy days inspire me to bake.  There were two bananas that were getting over-ripe and I decided to make banana nut muffins with blueberries (homegrown frozen blueberries).  Daughter and I shared some, warm from the oven and there are more for breakfasts or snacks over the next few days.

Thursday morning was overcast and cloudy.  The forecast said there will be more rain and it arrived in the afternoon.  Still mostly a drizzle, but, much later in the night, we had a fairly good shower of rain, accompanied by a flood alert!

A good friend of mine had mentioned a book she had borrowed from her church library and it sounded like something I would like to read.  So, last week, I put in a request for the book and on Thursday, I received an email that the book had come in and was being held for me at the local branch library.  I drove to the library on Thursday afternoon and picked up my book.  The library parking lot was full and it didn't help that two luxury cars had parked straddling the lines so that they each took up two spaces.  I had to go around the block three times before a spot opened up!  There was no parking on the side roads, either; otherwise, I would have parked there and walked to the library.  Apparently, some group was offering free tax filing help in the library's community room and that's probably why the parking lot was full.  Anyway, I picked up my book, looked at the new books display and the cart with the books they are selling (all books, including hardcover books, were priced at $0.25 each), and decided not to get any more books.

On the way home from the library, I picked up two hamburgers and a large order of fries to share with my daughter and a regular Oreo shake for her.  I had coupons for them that were going to expire on the 10th of February.  The hamburgers were 2 for $5 with the coupon, the large fries were $0.99, and the regular shake was $1.49, plus tax, of course.  The cost of the meal was $21+ without the coupons; it was $8.19 including tax with the coupons.  Daughter saved half of her hamburger to have for dinner (along with some leftover fried rice).  I was too full for dinner and ate two banana muffins and grapes for dinner.  Fresh oranges for snacks.

I did a load of laundry,  mended a cardigan I had knitted several years ago (sewed on two buttons that had come off and darned a hole - visible mending since I no longer had any matching yarn, but, I don't mind that); spoke with Aunt C, friend R, and friend K (late neighbor T's daughter), exchanged emails with a friend, and watched the news and a documentary on one of the Public Broadcasting Services channels.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- More rain for the garden
- Public libraries and access to them
- Documentaries on PBS
- Keeping in touch with friends and family
- Spending time relaxing with my daughter

Thursday's joyful activity was going to the library.

Plans for Friday include tending to the garden with M.

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Another Rainy Day


Rain Drops on Nasturtium Leaves

Wednesday was another rainy day!  We had an atmospheric river known as the Pineapple Express (because it originates near Hawaii) bring about 0.24 inches of rain to my area of Los Angeles.  It was a slow rain, more of a drizzle than a heavy downpour, but, it was good and much appreciated.  There is more rain in the forecast for next week, as well.  Any rain is a blessing!

M delayed his visit until early afternoon, by which time the rain had ceased although it was misty.  He didn't need to water the plants; instead, he spent his time weeding and planting the rest of the succulents he had brought me earlier.

Today, I dusted the living room and tidied the dining area.  I made fried rice for brunch and went off the meal plan for dinner, warming up a piece of cooked salmon I had in the freezer and cooking some rice and vegetables (carrots, broccoli, green beans) to go with it.  

Aunt C called in the late afternoon and we had a nice chat.   

Later in the afternoon, I took a nap.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The rain we received
- M's help with the garden
- A working heater
- Electricity and gas to run the appliances
- Afternoon naps

Today's joyful activity was picking oranges from the tree in the garden and picking lemons to make lemonade.

How was your day?  What are your plans for tomorrow?

Thriving in January

Peach Blossom



My word of the year is "Thrive" and that's what I have been trying to do, although January was a difficult month for me, especially with the gale force winds and the wildfires.  We weren't in immediate danger, but, at least one friend lost their home and, at my daughter's insistence, we prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice if needed.  Fortunately, we didn't have to evacuate and the fires have all been contained now.  However, it was an anxious time. In addition, there were other happenings, which were beyond my control, but, which still impacted me and which caused some consternation.  Through it all, I was determined to be positive and to thrive.  Did you know that the past tense of thrive can be either throve or thrived?  

Since I didn't do a review of my monthly balanced life goals at the end of December or do any monthly goals for January, I thought I'd review January with thriving as my goal. 

Spiritual:
Throughout January, especially during the first week or two, I continued to feel buoyed by the almsgiving which was held at the end of December.  I kept my spiritual side thriving with daily prayers, meditation, and doing my best to live my life according to the teachings of my religion.  

Daughter:
I have loved having my daughter home all of January.  It is a joy and our relationship is thriving.  

Health & Well Being:
While there is much room for improvement in this area of my life, my follow-up  lab test results have been good.  As a result, I feel quite positive about this area of my life.  

Family, Friends, & Community:
I have kept in touch with family by phone, video chats, texts, etc., speaking with my sister, cousins, and aunts.  I've spoken on the phone and exchanged texts and emails with some friends and other friends have visited, bringing me gifts of food.  I did receive the sad news that my former neighbor and friend T had passed away on New Year's Day.  I also visited my neighbor S and her daughters in January and participated in the blogging community.  I'm pleased with the amount of interaction with my family, friends, and community, in January.  I think this area of my life is thriving.

Finances:
For the most part, I have done well managing my finances, in January.  I did go over the grocery budget, by a little over $15.  Nevertheless, this is another area in which I feel I've thrived.

Time Management:
As usual, another area with room for improvement!  I am afraid that I did not thrive in this area of my life!  I've procrastinated on many fronts and I need to really get a grip on myself and manage my time better.

Leisure/Hobbies/Crafting:
I have enjoyed lots of leisure time this month.  I finished crocheting a blanket and I've read a few e-books I borrowed from the library.  I did want to do more crafting in January, but, somehow, I didn't.  So, there's room for improvement in this area of my life.

House:
I am deeply grateful that my house was undamaged during the winds and the fires.  I am very thankful that I still have my house.  I was ready to ;eave everything behind and evacuate it if needed and the fact that I didn't need to means a lot to me.  It might not be the biggest house or the most beautifully decorated and maintained residence, but, it is my home.  I am determined to make my home a place where my daughter and I can thrive.  

Garden:
The garden in January is thriving in its own way.  Most of the fruit trees are dormant, right now, but,  I'm picking lemons and oranges almost daily and enjoying fresh lemonade and fresh oranges.  We've had one day of rain which was very welcome and there's another shower of rain in the forecast, so, the garden is thriving.

All in all, the month of January was challenging and I admit to struggling a bit.  However, I tried to thrive in small ways.

How was your January?

Sunday, February 2, 2025

February Meal Planning

 

Curried Chicken Fried Rice
(Leftover curried chicken, leftover rice, grated
carrots, shredded cabbage, roasted peanuts)


January meal planning was a bit hit or miss, but, it is a new month and I am determined to do better this month.

As most of you know, I meal plan based on what I have on hand and that week's sales.  I rarely make a meal plan and then, buy things specifically for that meal plan.  That usually happens maybe twice each year - for Thanksgiving and for the almsgiving.  The rest of the year, I meal plan based on what's available.  I've heard it being called reverse meal planning, but, it's what I've done all along.

Chicken is usually the cheapest meat, so that's what I usually buy.  Sometimes, I will buy pork if it is on a good sale, especially when daughter is home, as she has been told by her doctor to eat more red meat.  I don't buy a lot of beef as it is very expensive.  

However, ground beef was on "sale" for $4.99/lb., which is the cheapest I've seen in a long time, and so I bought a pound of it, last week.  This week, beef chuck roast was on sale for $5.98/lb. and I purchased a 2 lb. chuck roast.  The last time I had bought beef was on July 3, 2024, when I bought a 3 lb. chuck roast at $6.99/lb.  

So, this week, I will be cooking both ground beef and the chuck roast and freezing some of it.

February Week 1 Meal Plan (2/1 - 2/7): 

Brunches: Milkrice with sambols (Saturday and Sunday); eggs, sausages, toast; peanut butter sandwiches with bananas, French toast; oatmeal; pancakes with sausages

Dinners: Leftover fried rice (Saturday); beef curry with rice and vegetables; ground beef with potatoes and vegetables; beef stir fry with vegetables over rice; leftovers.

Snacks/Desserts: Fresh fruit; smoothies; bread pudding and/or banana muffins; cereal and milk; peanut butter toast; yogurt; cheetos

That's the plan; we shall see how it works out.

How about you?  Do you have a meal plan for the first week of February?

February Grocery Shopping - Part 1

I ordered and picked up some groceries on Saturday, February 1. The price of eggs have come down by $1.00 and I knew I had to get another dozen before the price went back up, again.

Here's a look at my receipt:



Order Summary

Original Item Total$105.52
Item Coupons/Sales-$40.46
Fulfillment Fee+$0.00
Other Fees+$0.10
Sales Tax+$0.47
Order Total$65.63

Item Details

24 Items

Cheetos Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks XXTRA Flamin' Hot Flavored 8.5 Oz, 8.5 oz$5.00
2 x $2.50 $5.89 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.39
Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.39
Cheetos® Crunchy Cheese Chips, 8.5 oz$5.00
2 x $2.50 $5.89 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.39
Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.39
Colgate Cavity Protection Toothpaste with Fluoride in Regular Flavor, 4 oz$1.98
2 x $0.99 $2.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Colgate Triple Action Toothpaste with Mint Flavor, 4 oz$2.97
3 x $0.99 $2.79 each (approx.)
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Fresh Banana - Single, 1 ea$0.39
0.57 lbs x $0.68 each (approx.)
Fresh Strawberries, 1 lb$5.98
2 x $2.99 $4.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Green White Seedless Grapes, 1 lb$4.41
1.97 lbs x $2.23 $3.49 each (approx.)
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.97
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Kroger® Choice Beef In-Store Cut Chuck Roast, 1 lb$15.63
2.61 lbs x $5.98 $8.99 each (approx.)
Item Coupon/Sale: -$7.83
Kroger® Creamy Peanut Butter, 16 oz$1.49
1 x $1.49 $2.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Kroger® Grade AA Large Cage Free White Eggs, 12 ct$7.99
1 x $7.99 each
Kroger® Half & Half, 1 pt$2.69
1 x $2.69 each
Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$2.49
1 x $2.49 each
Ralphs® Vitamin D Whole Milk Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$2.79
1 x $2.79 $2.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.20
StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water Can, 5 oz$5.00
4 x $1.25 $1.59 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.34
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.34
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.34
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.34
Van Camp's® Pork and Beans in Tomato Sauce, 15 oz$1.25
1 x $1.25 $1.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.54

Other Fees

$0.10

Bag Fee$0.10
1 x $0.10 each


The bill came to a total of $65.63.  

Of which, $5,42 is for the tooth paste (5 x $0.99 = $4.95 + $0.47 tax = $5.42) and is not part of the grocery budget.  

I will keep the cans of tuna as groceries, this time around.

So, total paid for groceries including snacks = $60.21


My February grocery budget is $200.  Of which I had already spent $15.45 in January, leaving me with $184.55 available to spend in February.

Balance left in the February budget = $184.55 - $60.21 = $124.34


All I can say is, it's a good thing that February is a shorter month!