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| Bay Laurel Tree |
On Friday, I went for my quarterly check up with the oncology nurse practitioner. I left early to give myself ample time to get to the clinic since there is always bumper to bumper traffic near downtown and I didn't want the added stress of worrying if I'll be late to my appointment. I got to the clinic in good time and felt relaxed. Even so, my blood pressure was a little elevated when they checked it. However, my blood test results were good and I had lost some weight since my last visit.
When I got home, I saw a police car with the lights flashing, parked in front of my neighbor S's house. I texted her to find out if everything was okay and she said the police were there for something to do with my nextdoor neighbors (the party neighbors). No idea what it was all about, as they haven't had any really loud parties, recently, but, the police car was there for at least 45 minutes after I got home.
Usually, I'd pick up a pizza or something on my way home from my medical appointments, but, since I'm watching my salt intake, I made us some fried rice after I came home:
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| Fried Rice |
Leftover rice, scrambled eggs, grated carrots, shredded lettuce, and a handful of cooked garbanzo beans from a packet in the freezer. The garbanzo beans had been cooked with salt, but, I didn't add any soy sauce or other salt to the fried rice. It tasted okay to me; not as tasty as when I make it with soy sauce and salt, but, better for me.
- Access to medical care
On Saturday, I did a quick tidy and dusting of the living room as daughter was expecting some friends to visit in the afternoon. First, her friend V visited as she couldn't make it to the holiday brunch due to illness. Later, her friend A visited for another crochet lesson. I did a little knitting and strolled around the garden for a bit while daughter's friends were here.
Later, after they left, I took a nap on the sofa.
Still later, I called Aunt C and we chatted for a bit. Since aunt's recent dementia diagnosis, I first text my cousin to find out if it is a good time to call aunt and wait for cousin to respond; then I call and cousin sets up the phone so aunt can talk to me. Aunt mostly reminisces about incidents from her past and I listen.
I had peanut butter toast for brunch and daughter finished the leftover fried rice from Friday. For dinner, I had rice, baked chicken drumsticks, and tomato chutney; daughter had rice, chicken curry, and tomato chutney. Grapes, a date, and raisin cookies (a gift from one of daughter's friends) for dessert (me); daughter had a banana and raspberries.
On Saturday, I was grateful for:
- Daughter's friends visiting her
- A sunny, relaxed day
- Afternoon naps
- Being able to chat with aunt C
- Working appliances
Saturday's joyful activities included being in the garden and knitting.
Plans for Sunday include some paperwork and time spent crafting with daughter.
How is your weekend coming along?
I am so glad that your hospital appointment went well. It can be so stressful driving to a hospital can't it.
ReplyDeleteThe bay tree looks lovely! I'm sure it will love being in your garden :)
Best regards to you and your daughter from the UK
Angie
Thank you, Angie. Yes, it's always a bit stressful driving to a medical appointment. I'm very hopeful that the bay tree will do well in my garden. :)
DeleteBay plants definitely like warmer weather. I tried growing one in a pot once and it got 6" high before it died. But how nice it would have been to have a bay leaf to cook with whenever I wanted. They are very expensive in the grocery store. I hope yours does well.
ReplyDeleteThank you, June. I'm sorry your little bay plant died. I haven't bought bay leaves in a long time since M has kept me well supplied from when he prunes the bay trees at his other clients' gardens. One client has a whole hedge of them, apparently.
DeleteSono contenta che la visita sia andata bene.
ReplyDeleteProbabilmente la pressione alta era solo data da un po' di agitazione
Stefania said (per Google Translate): I'm glad the visit went well.
DeleteThe high blood pressure was probably just due to a bit of anxiety.
Thank you, Stefania. Yes, the pressure was at least partly due to anxiety. It is also partly due to an adjustment in my medications that has not gone too well.
Nice to see a photo of a live bay laurel tree. I've only ever seen the dried leaves that I keep in a jar in the kitchen!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady. I hope the tree will grow well and produce lots of leaves to share with friends in years to come. :)
DeleteI sounds like you had a couple of wonderful days. I wish I could grow bay leaves here. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jean. I'm looking forward to seeing how my new bay tree will grow. :)
DeleteI'm so glad your appointment went well!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely for M to think of you in regards to the bay tree.
Thank you, Sharon.
DeleteYes, I'm fortunate that M keeps offering me plants that other clients no longer wants. In return, he has taken some cuttings from my garden to offer to his other clients from time to time. :)
Beautiful first photo, and your rice looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. I might make the bay tree my "tree of the year". The rice turned out well; I seem to make fried rice fairly regularly when I need a quick and easy meal.
DeleteMy little bay tree is not looking too healthy at the moment. If I lived nearer, I'd ask for a cutting from yours!
ReplyDeleteI'd have been happy to give you a cutting. :) I hope your tree does better once the weather warms up.
DeleteWhat a cute little bay tree - a good thing being on the end of that transaction ;)
ReplyDeleteYour fried rice always looks good.
It's good your daughter has a bit of company - it helps keep the house maintained, right? lol
I was definitely on the right side of that transaction, wasn't I? I do thank M for thinking of me. :)
DeleteThank you; I like fried rice and as long as I have leftover rice on hand, it's easy to make.
I am so happy that daughter has company from time to time. It does keep the house maintained to a certain extent (she's very casual about it), but, more than anything else, I had been concerned that she'd be lonely when she came down to be with me. She had a small circle of friends up at the Bay Area with whom she'd get together on a fairly regular basis and I was worried that her friends who are down here would be too busy with their own lives to make time for her. But, so far, she's had plenty of social interactions with them, which is nice. :)
That was a lucky bonus! G has a bay tree in her garden and chops it back quite brutally from time to time, but it always springs back. When she was on her last massacre, she gave me a handful of leaves, which I added to the bought ones in the cupboard, but I hardly ever remember to use bay leaves unless I am following a specific recipe.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are taking care of your health/salt intake. I hope your changes pay dividends, and that your taste buds will acclimatise quickly.
I was very happy to receive the little bay tree from M. I add bay leaves to stews, soups, casseroles, and pasta sauce, when I remember to do so. :)
DeleteI'm finding it a bit challenging to eat a low salt diet, but, I'm trying. It will take me some time to get used to it, I'm afraid.