New Year's Eve

Fabric Coasters

On the last day of the year, I finished cooking the cashew curry and cooked the garbanzo beans.  The portions for the almsgiving have been taken out and frozen.  It is our custom not to eat any of the food prepared for an almsgiving, until it is served at the almsgiving or a portion has been reserved for the almsgiving.  What is remaining will be for our consumption and both daughter and I served ourselves small bowls of the cashews and the garbanzos for brunch.  

In the afternoon, neighbor S and her two daughters visited us for the season.  They were very considerate of us and wore masks and we wore masks, too.  I thanked them for being so considerate because I know that they don't usually wear masks.  We chatted for a little bit, took a couple of photos to remember the occasion, and exchanged gifts.  I received a set of bath and body products and a pair of warm, fuzzy socks.  My daughter received some make up and hair scrunchies.  We gave S's two daughters a set of bath and body products plus beaded earrings that my daughter made and S received a box of one of her favorite chocolates and the set of coasters.   They all liked the coasters.  

Then, later in the evening, neighbor S and her older daughter brought us New Year's Eve dinner:

New Year's Eve Dinner, Compliments of Neighbor S and Family

A variety of barbecue meats, salad, baked potato slices, a garlic and yogurt dip, and lavash bread.  Gata and walnut candy for dessert.  Plus kufta (a type of meatballs) and blinchik (filled pancakes) in the food storage bags.  I put the kufta and the blinchik in the freezer for later in the week.  Such a wonderful feast!  And such caring, generous neighbors!

It is still New Year's Eve, as I type this, although I know it is already New Year's Day and 2024 in other parts of the world!  Daughter and I will toast the New Year with sparkling cranberry/apple juice, boil milk, and make milkrice at midnight!

On this New Year's Eve, I am grateful for:

- Neighbor S and her family for being such wonderful neighbors and friends
- A New Year's Eve feast

- A warm house
- Being alive to see one year end and a new year begin
- The many blessings I've had this year
 

Today's joyful activity was having neighbor S and her daughters visit and exchanging gifts with them.

It's been lovely to have all of my blog friends with me as I journeyed through 2023 and I hope you will continue to be with me as we journey into 2024.  I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!  May 2024 be a year of blessings for all! 

Bed Sheets and Doll Houses on Thursday

New Flannel Bedsheet Set

When my daughter asked me what I wanted for my birthday, my initial response was I didn't need anything.  After further urging on her part, and an offer to buy me the electric jam maker she wanted to buy me last year (which I had declined), I decided ask for a new set of cotton bed sheets because I was down to one set of summer sheets (I had recently relegated the other set, with its threadbare flat sheet, to sofa dust sheets status).  Daughter told me to select the sheet set I wanted and she would order it for me. 

While I looked for the cotton summer sheet set, I saw that there was a clearance sale for a line of cotton flannel sheets, as well.  And I was reminded of the old worn out flannel sheet sheet set that I had patched and mended back in March and April 2019.  The old patches are still holding, but, new tears have developed.  I could mend them, but, I also knew that my daughter would also ask what I'd want for Christmas and I decided that I'll send her a link to a new flannel sheet set, as well, as what I would like to have for Christmas (she'd be able to save on shipping if they were ordered together and, also, the clearance sale might not be in effect closer to Christmas).

When she received my email with links to my "Birthday gift" and "Christmas gift", she laughed.  She said that one set wasn't enough for a gift, so, she was going to order both sets as my birthday gift (plus, she's making me a surprise gift, as well!)

I received the flannel sheet set this week (the cotton summer sheets have not arrived, yet).  Today, I opened the package and checked to see if there were any tears (there weren't, but, I hadn't forgotten the new sheets I bought for my daughter's bed in December 2021 which came with tears and which I mended).  Then, I laundered the new sheets.  

I am planning to turn the old torn and patched sheets into beds for Dancer and for Mama Cat.

It was a mostly sunny day, today, and the temperature was a little warmer.  I walked for a short time (my left knee is giving me some trouble, so I didn't want to make it worse by walking for a longer time), waved hello to neighbor S, picked a few more ripe cherry tomatoes from the garden, did two loads of laundry, did a bit of paperwork, and decluttered a couple of items.

Unfinished Doll House

Sigh.  I bought a wooden doll house kit to make as a gift for my daughter for Christmas, when she was about 3 years old.  I assembled most of it, but, never finished it - there were pieces of trim that had to be glued in place to cover the joints and the window shutters had to be painted and trimmed, and although I assembled the front door, I never attached it.  I think I played more with the doll house, putting it together, than my daughter ever played with it!  I displayed it, in its unfinished state, on the top of the entertainment center in the family room for years.  I kept saying I would finish applying the trim, but, I never did.  I knew I should declutter it, but, I couldn't bring myself to do it.  Until today.  Today, I dusted it off, took down the box with the rest of the pieces of trim, including the door and the set of assembly instructions, attached a note to the box to indicate what it contains, and put them  into a bigger box to be donated.  

Box with Rest of the Pieces and Instructions

Maybe someone will finish it and give it to another child to play with.  At least, that is what I hope will happen.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A mostly sunny day after Wednesday's rain
- New bed sheets
- Working appliances
- Tomatoes from the garden
- What I was able to accomplish today

Today's joyful activity was listening to music - mostly old Sinhala songs that I grew up listening to.  

Plans for tomorrow (Friday) include going to get some lab tests done in the early afternoon, some housework after that, and M tending to the garden in the evening. 

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

Birthday Weekend Continues

Lunch: Rice and Curries

I had a phone call from my friend S in the early afternoon, asking me if I was at home.  I answered, "Yes", and asked why.  "Oh, we just want to stop by for a minute to drop something off."  She is the friend who makes some of the most delicious Sri Lankan rice and curries and I had a suspicion what the "something" would be.  I quickly picked a bag of fresh curry leaves from the garden to give her.

She, her husband, and their daughter came by a few minutes later, and brought me a homecooked Sri Lankan rice and curry meal - rice, jackfruit curry, mango curry, and salted dry fish fried with onions and tomatoes.  When I thanked her, she brushed aside my thanks, saying it was just half a meal as she couldn't make half the things she had planned to make!  I told her that it was more than enough!

I noticed that my friend's right hand was bandaged up and I asked her what happened.  She was in a fight, she joked, a boxing match.  Apparently, she burned her hand when a pan of hot oil spilled over while she was cooking, last night!  Oh my goodness!  And she still brought me a birthday meal?  She was going to see a burn specialist, tomorrow, she said.  We visited for a few minutes (I had my mask on).  As always, before she left, she told me to let her know if there was anything I needed!  I told her to let me know if there was anything I could do to help her, at least until her hand healed!

It was another sunny day, and it was warmer outside than it was inside the house.  I sat outside at my little patio table to have my morning cup of tea and to say my morning prayers.  

In the afternoon, I read a few more chapters of the library book and chatted for a bit with friend R.  Friend S had taken her a container of food, as well.  

Later, in the early evening, neighbor S called me - she had made some baklava and would I like to have some?  How could I refuse homemade baklava?  

Homemade Baklava for Dessert

I told neighbor S that I will share it with my daughter when she comes home, next week.  She said that's why she gave me four pieces - two for me, two for my daughter.  I put the pieces in a container and put them in the fridge.  

Thank you, everyone, for your lovely birthday wishes.  I appreciate them all.  I know that some people don't like to celebrate their birthdays as they get older, but, I want to celebrate each and every one!  Each birthday is a milestone, I think.  When I was diagnosed with cancer at 59, I was unsure if I would live long enough to see my 60th birthday, later that year!  I think of each birthday since then as a blessing, a gift to treasure, and a bonus. 

Moving forward, I want to make the best of each day I'm privileged to live.  Not quite sure how I'm going to do that, but, I want to have no regrets about each day when I go to sleep.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Friend S and her family bringing me a birthday meal
- Neighbor S bringing me some of her homemade baklava
- An afternoon spent reading
- A warm and sunny day
- Being able to order something online (Dancer's favorite cat food) and have it delivered to the doorstep

Today's joyful activity was having my friends visit me. 

Plans for tomorrow include doing a load of laundry, some tidying and cleaning, and taking the trash cans to the curb for Tuesday morning pick up.

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

Other Holiday Visitors and Visits

Not Quite a Weathervane

The neighbor's rooster is a frequent visitor in my garden, usually scratching around and taunting Mama Cat who mostly ignores him, unless he eats her kibbles and then, she'll chase him.  Today, I noticed him up on the garage roof! Not quite sure what he was doing up there, but, if he was pretending to be a weathervane, he was not doing a good job of it!  

Still Not a Weathervane!

This has been a bit of a social week for us, although Monday's visit to see cousin V and my daughter's walk with a friend were cancelled.

It rained on and off all day on Tuesday and my daughter and I spent a relaxed day at home during the day.  In the evening, however, two of my daughter's friends from school days visited for their annual holiday get together.  These get togethers started when they were all in high school - my daughter and four of her friends would have a potluck lunch at school on the last day before the winter break.  Once they graduated from high school, they continued to hold their holiday pot luck at our house.  One year, just before the pandemic broke out, they held their holiday get together at a restaurant.  Over the years, one or two of the girls dropped out, making their excuses for not attending the holiday get togethers.  This year, it was just my daughter and her friends A and V, and V's 5 months old baby who is such a cutie!  Everyone wore masks (except the baby, of course) and this year, there was no sharing of food as that required masks to be taken off.  I stayed in the family room for the most part while they stayed in the living room, but, it was pleasant to hear them chatting and laughing.

On Wednesday, I visited neighbor S very briefly as I wanted to give her the euryops plant I had bought for her (she had admired my euryops plants and said she liked the yellow flowers).  Then, we enjoyed our visit with Baby Yoda as posted, earlier.  

Today, Thursday, has been another rainy day!  Today, in the afternoon, we visited my cousin R.  Her planned visit to Scotland had to be cancelled because her son's passport was damaged and they couldn't get a replacement passport in time.  She was rather disappointed about it, but, was accepting of the situation.  I had met her briefly at her sister's house on Christmas Day and I gave her her Christmas gift then.  Today, I gave her an early birthday present (her birthday is next week).  My daughter and I wore our masks during the visit which lasted about 15 or 20 minutes.  When we were leaving, cousin R gave us three bags of clothes and a few other times that she had decluttered.  Some of the items still had their tags on (they were gifts that didn't fit her, she said).

I had worn one of the blouses she had given us the last time and she was happy to see that I was wearing it.

After we came home, daughter and I tried on the clothes that cousin R had given us.  The majority of them fitted daughter and some of the items fitted me.  Daughter chose the items she wanted to take to Berkeley with her, including a lovely warm jacket (something she had been wanting to buy for herself) and a purse.  I selected a few blouses for myself.  There were two blouses that were too tight for us and my daughter will offer them to her friend A and if she doesn't want them, I will offer them to my friend R.  Thanks to my cousin's generosity, my daughter and I will not need to buy any new clothes, next year!  Such a blessing!

The big question is, will I declutter my closet to accommodate the new clothes?  Or, will I add them to the existing clothes (and maybe buy another set of hangers for them?)  That might be a question to ponder in the new year.  But, for now, I have a dozen new to me blouses and cardigans to add to my wardrobe!

This evening, daughter's friend A is visiting and she and my daughter are doing some artwork together (once again, everyone is wearing masks).  

Later tonight, daughter's friend P is bringing more vegan Vietnamese food and lemons from his sister's tree!  I have a feeling that I might be making a batch of lemon marmalade this weekend!  LOL.  

In between visits and having visitors over, I've hemmed the dress my daughter will be wearing as a bridesmaid at her friend J's wedding (and gave her the rest of the spool of thread and a needle to take with her, just in case there are further repairs or adjustments that need to be made), done some laundry, and cleaned the kitchen a bit.  

Today, I am grateful for:
- The much needed rain
- Visits with friends and cousins
- A safe drive to my cousin's and back
- New to us clothes!
- The many blessings I've received

Today's joyful activity was visiting my cousin.

Plans for tomorrow include more laundry and some tidying.

How is your week coming along?  What are your plans for tomorrow?

Christmas Day

Christmas Greetings

Happy Christmas, everyone.  Hope your day has been filled with joy and peace.

My daughter and I had a relaxed morning.  I called family and friends to wish them for Christmas.

Then, at noon, we made a couple of gift deliveries.  First, to my daughter's friend P's parents' home to drop off their gifts and the baby blanket.  I stayed in the car while daughter took the gifts to the doorstop, but when P's parents came out to greet me, I got out of the car.  They invited me in, but, I declined the invitation and we stood outside, in the warm sunshine, fully masked, and chatted a bit.  They had gone to one of the Sri Lankan restaurants, yesterday, to pick up lunch and they were telling me how much they enjoyed the food (they are not Sri Lankan).  

After that, we went to my cousin V's house to drop off their gifts.  We went before the rest of the extended family arrived for Christmas lunch and visited with them for about 30 minutes.  My daughter and I had our masks on.  I was able to wish my cousin V, her husband, my cousin R (who is V's sister), V's twin daughters, the husband of one of the daughters and their two sons and personally hand them their gifts.  I left the gift for V's son and his wife there for them.  Poor cousin R was planning to fly out to Scotland, yesterday, to spend Christmas with her husband and daughter who are in Scotland, but, there was something wrong with her son's passport and so, they couldn't go.  R was very upset, but, didn't want to go without her son.

After we came home, daughter and I had leftover pizza for our Christmas lunch, followed by a slice of pie and some fresh pineapple.  Then, we both took naps on the sofa!  

By the way, the raccoons were back, last night, and daughter got to see them.  This afternoon, I discovered that they had dug up around my apple seedling:

Raccoon Activity

Not quite sure what they were digging for, but, they dug deep!  Maybe there were some grubs?

They almost dug up the apple seedling!

I smoothed out the soil and put some small rocks on top to try and deter the raccoons from digging in there again:

Replanted Apple Seedling

I kept the hand spade stuck in the pot hoping that the scent of my hand on the handle might help to keep the raccoons away.  Not sure if that will work or not!  I hope the little apple seedling will survive being almost dug up!

Today, I am grateful for:

- Having daughter home for Christmas
- Visiting with family and friends and exchanging gifts with them
- Another sunny and warm (82F) day
- A safe drive to cousin's house and back
- Christmas greetings and well wishes from family and friends

Today's joyful activity was celebrating the day with family and friends.  Such a blessing to be able to do so.

Plans for tomorrow might or might not include a return visit to cousin V's depending on how we are all feeling and some tidying up around the house.

What are your plans for tomorrow?

On Friday the Eleventh of November...

Statue of the Buddha Seated Under the Bodhi Tree

- I went to the Temple, for the first time since Covid-19 became part of our everyday vocabulary!

The Stupa (also known as Chaithya or Dagaba)
A repository for relics

I called the chief monk at the Temple in the afternoon and asked if it I could stop by a little later in the afternoon and I was told, "Yes, certainly".  Unlike at a Church, there are no set hours of daily services, although there is usually a daily offering of flowers and lighting of candles in the evening.  If anyone is there at the Temple in the evening, then, they participate in that and the monks chant blessings.  But I didn't want to go to the Temple when there were others as I want to minimize my risks of exposure.  I had chosen a good time to go, today, as there was no one else at the Temple.  I paid my respects at the outdoor shrine which features the statue of the Buddha seated under the bodhi tree and then, the chief monk invited me into the prayer hall which also features another statue of the Buddha and he chanted blessings for me.  I gave him the English-Sinhala dictionary that I set aside to give to the Temple and the donations I had brought with me.  This visit to the Temple was something I had been wanting to do for some time, now, and I was happy that I was able to go, today.  

- Friend R had lunch delivered to me, once again!

Lunch Plus - Compliments of Friend R
Shrimp Fried Rice, Garlic Chicken, Plain Fried Rice and Thai Pepper Beef 

I told her it was too much, but, she said to have it for dinner, too!  Not only did I have it for both lunch and dinner, I have enough leftovers for several more lunches and dinners! 

- My daughter had a package delivered to me, containing some items I really needed (and wanted), with instructions to wear them and not keep them because they are new!  LOL!  She knows me too well!

New Sweatpants (2 pairs) and Sweatshirts (3)

- Gardener friend M gifted me a different type of asparagus fern, called "Asparagus retrofractus", also known as "Ming asparagus", which is a more upright type of asparagus fern:

Asparagus retrofractus 

We planted it in the front garden, in a bare spot among the other, more sprawling asparagus ferns.  I hope it will grow as well as the other asparagus ferns are growing.

- M also brought me a pint of ice cream to try:

Buttercream Birthday Cake

It tasted just like what the label said!  Like frozen buttercream frosting!  

Birthday Cake Ice Cream!

It was almost too sweet!  But, it was delicious!  

- There were cards, both paper ones and e-cards, phone calls, and texts, each conveying well wishes from family and friends as I turned 67 years of age!    

On Friday the eleventh of November, I feel so blessed and my heart is filled with gratitude.  It has been a joyful day.

The Last Saturday

 

Breakfast: Waffles with Peach Topping

Today is not only the last Saturday in the month, it is also the last Saturday before my daughter returns to Berkeley and her last full day at home; she flies back tomorrow afternoon (provided her flight is not cancelled or delayed).  I made waffles for breakfast and we enjoyed it with some of the peach topping; she loved the peach topping, by the way.  

My daughter and I ran a couple of errands in the afternoon and I treated her to her favorite iced coffee drink.  After we came home, I did two loads of laundry and she packed her suitcase, leaving some room for the food I will be sending home with her.  Then, we ordered some baby gifts my cousin's daughter had requested for her baby shower, which will be sent directly to her.  Even though I am crocheting her a baby blanket, with our new Covid case numbers going over 6,000 yesterday (weekend numbers aren't posted until Monday), hospitalizations going up, and the test positivity rate being 9.8% (7-day average), I am not sure if I will feel comfortable attending the actual shower, so, wanted to send her a gift just in case I decide not to go to the baby shower in person.

Leftovers/Fried Rice for Lunch

I made fried rice for lunch, using a bunch of leftovers!  Leftover rice, leftover cooked sausage, leftover broccoli, leftover broccoli leaf mallung (which colored the rice yellow because it had turmeric in it), and the last bit of roasted peanuts that were leftover in the jar!  In fact, I think it would be a good candidate for the SPSH No. 14 - Left Overs!  I did add an egg which wasn't a leftover.  There is a little of the fried rice leftover for my lunch, tomorrow!

Neighbor S called in the early evening.  She, her mother, and her aunt made gata (Armenian cookies) and her daughter N made rhubarb-strawberry jam; would we like to have some?  Yes, please!  My daughter loves their homemade gata and who wouldn't like some homemade rhubarb-strawberry jam?  The gata were still warm from the oven when N brought them over!  We were told they should be allowed to get cold before eating, but, well...I can assure you that they taste just as lovely when still warm from the oven!  LOL.

 

Gata and Homemade Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam

N mentioned that the rhubarb-strawberry jam would be good in lemonade!  That sounded delicious!  My daughter quickly picked some lemons, I juiced them, and she made us two glasses of rhubarb-strawberry lemonade and it was lovely!  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture!  But, it was a very pretty pink color and tasted great!

I finally made the coconut flat bread (pol roti) for dinner, tonight, after having it listed on my meal plan for so long!  Daughter enjoyed hers with some leftover salmon; I had mine with some chicken curry. I made extra so I could send some back with her.  After dinner, I did the dishes, chatted with friend R, watered the houseplants, and did the litter box.  

It has been another warm day with a daytime high of 96F (although the car temperature gauge registered 99F when we were driving about, but, it could have been from the heated asphalt on the road).  It has cooled down to 70F as I type this, close to midnight.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter helping with the last few errands and tasks I needed done before she goes back
- Neighbor S and daughter N sharing their gata and jam with us
- Transforming leftovers into a tasty meal
- Safe drives to the places we needed to go to run our errands
- In-person hugs

Today's joyful activity was spending time together with my daughter and enjoying all the good food we have made or have been given.

Plans for tomorrow include taking my daughter to the airport in the early afternoon and video chatting with her in the night.

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?  

Warm on Friday

 

Tomato Plant

Another warm day on Friday with a high of 94F.  I loved it, of course.  I responded to blog comments, watched some online videos, played a few sudoku games, watered the houseplants, cleaned the litter box, checked on the garden, did the dishes (some by hand, the rest in the dishwasher), scrubbed the stove top including under the burners, and mopped the kitchen.  I also called my doctor's office to find out if they received the scan results, but, they said not yet.  The nurse I spoke with said she'll call the hospital on Monday to follow up.  If I don't hear from her by Tuesday, I will call her on Thursday (the doctor's office is closed on Wednesday as she goes to another location on Wednesdays).

In the early evening, gardener M tended to the garden.  He bought me a tomato plant.  He said that he received a discount because the plant was a bit wonky and didn't want me to pay him back for it!  He planted it in the same planting bed as the moringa tree; the bed had recently been cleared of all the self seeded wildflowers that had finished flowering.  The tomato plant already has two tiny tomatoes and I'm hoping there will be more over the summer.  I believe it is an Early Girl tomato.  Last year, I got a good crop of tomatoes from the Early Girl plant.  

Later in the evening, friend A called and so did friend R.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Warm, sunny days
- M gifting me a tomato plant and tending to the garden for me
- Water for the garden
- What I was able to accomplish
- Phone calls from friends

Today's joyful activity was walking around the garden and checking on the plants.  

Apple Seedling

Ignore the $19.99 written on the pot!  This is a recycled pot that was in the shed.  But, the apple seedling was grown from an apple seed that I had planted!  I planted a few seeds and two sprouted, but, only one has made it.  The seeds were from a gala apple or fuji apple, but, most apple trees are grafted and there is no guarantee that a tree grown from a seed will bear fruit that is true to the apple it was taken from, but, that is fine with me.  I don't even know if the seedling will grow into a fruit bearing tree!  But, it is fun to grow it from seed, isn't it?  Have you grown an apple tree from a seed?  

No big plans for tomorrow.  It is supposed to be another warm day, although a bit cooler than today.  I might relax and do some sewing for fun (there are those cat blocks waiting to be made into something).

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

Thursday's Activities

 

Plum Blossoms

Today, it was sunny, but, cooler.  I checked on the garden, in the morning, picked some peapods and oranges, and decluttered a few items from the garage.  

In the afternoon, I took a piece of cake over to neighbor T and I took a piece to friend R, who gave me a packet of sweet potato chips in return; I shared the chips with my daughter in the afternoon.  Neighbor S wasn't home in the afternoon, so I took her a couple of pieces of cake in the evening.  In return, she gave me some pastries she and a family member had made:

Pastries and Cookies (and Chocolates, too)

One of the pastries had a walnut filling and the other had raisins.  S also included two chocolates as I like them!  She gave me a gift to give my daughter for her birthday and she gave me a lovely black cardigan, which I will be sharing with my daughter!  

Our meals today were assorted leftovers and there are more leftovers for tomorrow's meals, too!  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Exchanging treats
- A safe drive to R's and back
- Leftovers!
- Neighbor S's thoughtful gifts
- A sunny day

Today's joyful activity was distributing some of the birthday cake!

Plans for tomorrow include more garage decluttering and M's visit to tend to the garden (his piece of cake is in a container, waiting for him.)

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

  

Deliveries on Sunday

 

The Meal Prepared by Daughter

Today, January 9, is the anniversary of my maternal grandmother's death and late Aunt T's birthday.  My morning prayers included a special prayer for them and I texted a message to Aunt T's daughters, my cousins V and R, to let them know that their mother was remembered.

In the afternoon, we packed up the food that my daughter had cooked.  Not pictured above was the container of rice I cooked to go with the curries.  And we decided that the garbanzo beans could be given in a sandwich bag and didn't need a container.  So, only 13 food containers, as opposed to the 14 I had mentioned, yesterday!  Plus, a jar of zucchini chutney.  

It was a lovely, sunny day with a daytime high in the low 70s.  A perfect day to drive over to our friends' house.  We left the bags of food and gifts on the doorstep and texted them to say that they have a delivery.  They had left their gift to us (a basket of goodies and a gift card) on the doorstep for us to collect, as well.  Then, we drove home, feeling happy about the whole thing.  Being able to help daughter prepare this meal and deliver it is truly a blessing for me!  And it has filled me with joy and gratitude!  

In the evening, I did two loads of laundry and washed more dishes!  

Crocheted Prayer Blanket

This is the prayer blanket I crocheted for my friend, with yarn I had in my stash (although I did have to buy two skeins of the black yarn to finish the project).  Three rows of five squares each, each square consisting of 10 rows (the 10th rows are in black yarn and form a border around each square). Since my friend is Catholic, I intended the 10 rows in each square to represent one decade of the Rosary, the five squares per row for the five decades of the Rosary, and three rows for the Holy Trinity.  Originally, I had thought the three rows of five squares would represent the three Mysteries of the Rosary that I had known about (the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious), but, one of my good friends (who is also Catholic) informed me that Pope St. John Paul II had added a fourth set of Mysteries (the Luminous) that I had not been aware of.  I decided not to do a fourth row as I was trying to get the blanket finished in time for our planned visit which was to have been before Christmas, originally.  The entire blanket is bordered with additional rows of crochet in purple and edged in black.  A hadn't opened her gift yet when I spoke with her, this evening, to tell her what the blanket represented.  It is my hope that this blanket will make her feel that she is surrounded by a prayer when she wraps it around herself.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter preparing a meal to take to our friends
- A safe drive to deliver the meal and back
- Being able to give the prayer blanket to my friend

- Memories of my grandmother and aunt

- Hugs from my daughter

Today's joyful activity was delivering the meal and gifts to friends.

Plans for tomorrow include taking down the Christmas tree!  Or, at least, removing the ornaments so that M can dismantle the tree on Wednesday and put the Christmas bins in the garage for another year!

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

Monday: More New Year Visits and Almsgiving Preparations Begin

Another Homemade Card
(the last one, I promise!)

A friend of mine called today and said she was dropping off some additional gifts!  She had already given me some gifts, earlier, when we exchanged gifts by leaving each other's gifts on the doorstep, last week.  I told her it was not necessary, but, she insisted that it was!  LOL.  We stood outside the door, fully masked, and wished each other for the New Year.  She brought a calendar and some Harry Potter items for my daughter and a tin of French butter cookies for me!  Needless to say, I put the cookies away to enjoy later; much, much later! 

Today, I began on my almsgiving preparations in earnest.  Long time readers of my blog will know that I have been holding an almsgiving, nearly every year, usually in December, when I invite the Buddhist monks from the Temple to my home and offer them lunch and other donations. The last one I held was in 2019.  In 2020, I sent a donation to the Temple in lieu of holding an almsgiving (due to COVID) and that was the plan for 2021, too.  But, I missed not being able to hold an almsgiving in my house because I feel that having it in my home blesses the house, as well.  Daughter suggested having the almsgiving at the beginning of this year, instead, so she could help me with the cooking and the preparations.  I think I like the idea of starting off the year with an almsgiving; this might become a new tradition!

We scaled back the almsgiving due to COVID, since new case numbers are rising as a result of the Omicron variant.  Only two monks will attend (as opposed to the usual 5-7 in previous years) and no other participants will be present, only my daughter and I.  I did invite friend R, but, today, she called and asked to be excused, again, due to COVID considerations.  I quite understood.  The monks are fully vaccinated and boosted; daughter and I plan to wear our masks and we will have all three air purifiers running and have a couple of windows open, too, for ventilation.  

The almsgiving is scheduled for this Wednesday (January 5); I will call the monks and confirm it, tomorrow.

I have a master list of things I do to prepare for the event and I firmly believe that list keeps me focused and enables me to do everything in an organized manner!

So far, I have accomplished the following:

- Set the date/invited the monks

- Set the menu; bought the groceries
- Cooked most of the dishes (daughter did the majority of the cooking)

- Got the donations ready

- Cleaned the living room

- Rearranged the furniture to set up the seating area in the living room (very little needed to be done this year because only two monks)

- Set out candles, incense sticks & holder, lighter/matches to light the candles, etc.

- Cleaned the kitchen after daughter cooked and did the dishes

Still to do (Tuesday, January 4):
- Confirm the date with the monks
- Clean the rest of the house (daughter will help)
- Take down the dishes used only for almsgivings and wash them
- Take out serving dishes, basins used for washing hands, serving spoons, etc.

- Set out items needed for the transfer of merit: teapot, cup, and basin; fill teapot with water
- Set out new bottle of water for blessing; bowl to catch drips when blessed water is poured out
- Set out items for washing hands: fresh cake of soap, hand towels, jugs & basins

Wednesday, January 5 (day of almsgiving)::

- Cook rice (2 types - white and red) 

- Make the salad

- Cut up fruits and arrange in saucers; cover
- Arrange a variety of sweets in saucers; cover
- Pour palm treacle into sauce boat (to be served over yogurt)

- Warm up the soup, curries; dish out

- Serve up offerings to the Buddha and offerings for the Order of Monks
- Cover chairs, tables (can't do earlier because of the cat!)
- Pick flowers from the garden and arrange in vases
- Boil water and keep warm for those monks who prefer hot water
- Pour water and juice into glasses

10:45 a.m. - Everything should be done and ready!

11:00 a.m. - Monks arrive; Offerings to Buddha, Order of Monks, etc. take place and service begins with devotions being recited.

11:30 a.m. - Lunch is served to the monks

12:00 noon - Monks finish their lunch (they are prohibited from eating after noon), plates are cleared, a sermon is said, blessings are chanted, merit gained from almsgiving is transferred to departed loved ones, and donations are offered to the monks.

1:00 p.m. - the religious ceremonies are concluded, the monks leave; usually, lunch is then served to all the guests who participated, but this year, there won't be any other participants, although I will probably take a plate of food to friend R and neighbor S, etc.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Friend N visiting (and bringing more gifts!)
- Daughter doing the cooking

- My new set of pots and pans (Christmas gift from my daughter; using them for the first time to cook the almsgiving food)

- The cleaning I was able to do
- Working appliances

Today's joyful activity was visiting, however briefly, with friend N.

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

Holiday Visits

 

New Year's Treats from Neighbor S: Doughnuts, Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls
Homemade Armenian Pumpkin Preserves

On Sunday, my daughter and I masked up and called on neighbor S and her family, paying them a holiday visit!  They wore their masks, too, and asked if we would like to stay outside in the garden or come inside.  We really appreciated being given the option, but, we chose to go inside.  We all stayed masked during the visit and they kept the front door open for ventilation, which we appreciated very much. We exchanged gifts with them, which included these mini wallets my daughter crocheted as part of her gifts to S's daughters:

Crocheted Mini Wallets

Other gifts exchanged included a triangular shawl I crocheted:

Crocheted Triangular Shawl

A basket of gifts I put together:

Gift Basket 

And a tea cup candle.

Along with their gifts to us (make up and skin care products, a lovely plaid scarf , a packet of chocolate wafers, and chocolates), S gave us a plate of doughnuts, a jar of homemade Armenian pumpkin preserves (different from the Sri Lankan pumpkin preserves we used to make the love cake), and a plate of vegetarian cabbage rolls, made by her sister-in-law, filled with a mixture of grains and lentils.  Apparently, they are a traditional New Year's dish.  

Armenian Pumpkin Preserves

I was grateful to receive all the food, but, I shared some of the doughnuts with neighbor T, because my daughter and I have been eating too many sweets since before Christmas!  Spread the joy and the calories!  LOL!  

After we came home, I called friend A to check on her; she's feeling a little better, she said, but her younger daughter was having a fever.  We will visit once everyone is feeling well, again.  

Cousin R had called and left a message while we were out, so I called her back.  She had her booster shot, last week, and had been down with side effects.  She said she cleaned out her closet, after Christmas and kept a bag of clothes aside for us!  It's a good thing my daughter went through her closet and set aside a bag of clothes to donate!  LOL.

Later in the evening, I called friend R and chatted with her for a bit.  

My daughter is doing some meal planning this week and cooked some chicken breasts in a spicy garlic sauce today:

Spicy Garlic Chicken

She sauted the chicken and added the sauce she mixed up (soy sauce, sriracha sauce, minced garlic, onion powder, and a little bit of sugar) and let it cook down.  Delicious!

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to visit neighbor S and family
- Their continued generosity 
- Phone calls with family and friends
- Working appliances
- Daughter meal planning and cooking

Today's joyful activity was visiting neighbor S and family.

Plans for tomorrow include some house cleaning and tidying!

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

New Year's Day - 2022

 

New Year's Day Treats

Happy New Year 2022!

My daughter and I stayed up to greet the New Year at midnight, with our glasses of sparkling apple cider (mixed with some cranberry juice).  I boiled the milk till it boiled over for good luck and made milkrice.  

We had a sunny day with pleasant weather for the Rose Parade, which was held this year after being put on hold, last year!  The City of Pasadena's Rose Parade (followed by the Rose Bowl College Football Game) is part of our New Year's traditions, here, in southern California!  I used to get up early on New Year's Day to watch the live broadcast of the Rose Parade on TV; today, however, I watched a rebroadcast of the parade, later in the day!

I spent the morning calling family and friends to wish them for the New Year.  I spent the afternoon relaxing, reading and commenting on blogs, replying to blog comments, etc.  I did walk around the garden and drive way for a bit.  There were a few roses blooming:

January Roses: Yellow

January Roses: Pink

And oranges ripening:

Oranges

I was getting ready to make myself a cup of tea in the evening, when one of my friends (friend S, not to be confused with neighbor S) called me to say that she, her husband, and their daughter were on their way to visit me for the New Year.  She apologized for not visiting me in the morning and I told her not to be silly!  She brought us a tray of Sri Lankan treats, shown above (top photo): milkrice (with some onion sambol to go with it), konde kavum (made with a rice flour and palm treacle batter which is deep fried), mung kavum (a paste made with mung bean flour and palm treacle, rolled out thinly, cut into diamond shapes, dipped in a rice flour batter and deep fried), mung guli (similar to mung kavum, but, the filling is rolled into a ball, then battered and fried), aluwa (the white diamond shaped sweet which looks a bit like a shortbread cookie, made with rice flour and sugar), rulang (semolina) aluwa, kokis (a bit like Swedish rosettes, but, not sweet), aasmi (the fan shaped item which looks like threads woven together - made with a rice flour/coconut milk/cinnamon leaf extract which provides a much needed mucilage - can substitute okra extract - batter, which is then poured into hot oil in thin threads like funnel cakes), milk toffee, as well as marshmallows, and four types of cake, including her version of love cake (love cake recipes vary from one family to the next!).  Such a lavish New Year's Day treat!

We were all wearing masks, so I invited them into the house for a few minutes.  I had their gifts ready and I asked my daughter to pick a bag of lemons and some curry leaves for them and I gave them some of the ripe Serrano chillies I had picked, earlier in the day:

Red, Ripe Chillies

After tea, I scrubbed the stove top (not only did the milk boil over, at midnight, which was intentional, the pot of rice I cooked for the milkrice also boiled over, making a bigger mess on my stove top!) and did the dishes.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A new year and everything it signifies in terms of new beginnings and opportunities

- Being able to celebrate New Year's Day with my daughter
- Exchanging good wishes with family and friends over the phone
- Caring friends who spoil me with treats!

- Flowers and produce from the garden

Today's joyful activity was having friend S visit.

Today's "decluttering":

Wooden Santa Box/Floral Decoration

Plans for tomorrow include visiting neighbor S and family for the holidays!

How was your New Year's Day?  What are your plans for Sunday?

Rainy Thursday Activities

 

Christmas Basket of Goodies

It poured with rain, Wednesday night, and it rained most of the day on Thursday, too!  I had a blood test scheduled at 12:30 p.m. and drove through flooded roads and intersections to get to the clinic.  But, the wait to be seen to was fairly short and the blood tests were done without any fuss by a very friendly and cheerful technician.  

Afterwards, daughter and I went to drop off some gifts at a friend's house.  Daughter crocheted this amigurumi Spiderman, with yarn in our stash, as a gift for her friend:  

Crocheted Spiderman - Front

I put together the gift basket for the rest of the family, with a couple of jars of my homemade jam, a couple of snack items from the Sri Lankan store, a hot pad, and one of my embroidered towels.  The wooden box I used as the basket was something I had in my "stash" (saved from a holiday gift basket I had received, one year, with the intention of reusing it to make a gift basket of my own).  

We texted our friends before we left the house; I stayed in the car while daughter dropped off their gifts and picked up their gifts to us: a box of chocolates, some homemade zucchini bread, meringues (the friend who made them had been a pastry chef before the restaurant he worked in closed due to Covid) and a container of berry coulis to go with the meringues:

Meringue with Berry Coulis

Of course, I had to try one when I got home!  LOL!

Later in the evening, I did some laundry while daughter went through her closet and decluttered a huge bag of clothes!  I think I will be calling for another donations pick up before too long!  We also put in an order of groceries to be picked up, tomorrow.

Daughter also put together a video of us making the semolina and cashew cake that is known as Love Cake in Sri Lanka, if anyone is interested:

https://youtu.be/Kbtc84tmNwA

I'm a YouTube star!  LOL.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The rain we've received
- Being able to get the blood tests done
- A safe drive there and back
- Exchanging gifts with friends
- Daughter's help with so many things

Today's joyful activity was watching the video daughter did!  Oh, and eating meringues!  LOL.

Plans for tomorrow include picking up the groceries, tidying the house a bit, and getting ready to celebrate New Year's Eve at home with my daughter!

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for New Year's Eve?

One Year!

It's been one year since my daughter came down from Berkeley to be with me for the holidays, last year!  The original plan had been to return to Berkeley in early March because that's when her employer thought they would be able to move into the new office location and start working in person.  Then, the date to return to the office was moved back to the summer and to autumn and to January of 2022!  Now, it looks like she might not have to go back until February!  Having her home with me has been such a blessing!  I've enjoyed her company (not to mention her taking care of me when I was practically bedridden with sciatica pains) and I know she's enjoyed being home with Dancer and me rather than being cooped up in her tiny studio apartment!  Today, we celebrated one year of being together with a take out lunch from our favorite neighborhood Japanese restaurant:

 

Teriyaki Beef/Tempura Lunch Special

Spicy Octopus Salad

Tempura Roll

The teriyaki beef and tempura lunch special was for me (it comes with a serving of miso soup which is not pictured).  That is my favorite meal and my daughter teases me because I always order it.  There was enough food there for me for both lunch and dinner and I shared some of it with my daughter, as well.  She ordered the spicy octopus salad and the tempura roll (she had already started eating the tempura roll when I took the photo!) and she, too, had enough for both lunch and dinner.  This restaurant has been in the neighborhood for decades; they are a bit pricey, but, their food is good and anyway, we are supporting a local business.

I woke up relatively early, today (7:30 a.m.).  I said my morning prayers and replied to blog comments, etc.  Cousin V texted me to ask what my plans were for Christmas, saying she and her husband were going to her younger sister R's house.  Earlier, I had told V that I was not planning on going anywhere for Christmas, but, today, I texted her to ask if she was inviting me and does R know!  LOL.  She texted back that, yes, I'm being invited and R had asked her to reach out to me.  I called and spoke with R and I guess my daughter and I will be joining cousins V and R and their immediate families for Christmas dinner!  I offered to bring something for the meal and V immediate said to bring my cornbread muffins and a dessert!  I didn't join the family for Thanksgiving and I guess they missed my cornbread muffins!  LOL.  Cousins and families are all vaccinated and some of them have had their boosters.  I am still not 100% sure about attending the family gathering, but, I'll make the final decision on Saturday.  This might be the last Christmas when all the cousins will be together, since cousin P will be going out of state after Christmas.  

M came over to tend to the garden, today.  He did more pruning and clearing, today, but, held off on watering because the forecast calls for rain tonight, tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday!  My daughter served him a plate of food (leftovers from last night's dinner) to take home with him.  

Later in the afternoon, I called cousin P and went over to her house to give her and her daughter their Christmas gifts, early; partly because P is not sure what her plans are for Christmas (if she's going to cousin R's or not) and partly because her daughter won't be here for Christmas.  I also thought that this would give them enough time to pack the gifts in the boxes they are taking with them (should they decide to keep them! I got P a bottle of her favorite cologne and I got her daughter a book about finding happiness.)

I mentioned to P that I was waiting for the donations to be picked up, today, and she gave me two bags of items to add to the donations pile!  LOL.  I accepted them because I knew she didn't have time to call and schedule a donations pick up, herself.  Her daughter helped me to bring the bags over to my house and we left them on the doorstep with the rest of the donations.  Nothing made it inside the house!   The donations were all picked up a little later in the afternoon.  I have already decluttered my quota for the month (31 items), but, I will continue to declutter for the remainder of the month and then, start over in January!

I wrapped and tagged more gifts in the evening.   I am still waiting for a few more gifts to arrive and, in addition, I have about 6 gifts to wrap and tag!  I also need to make another couple of quick cards and embroider a couple of items.

Speaking of embroidery, Mary-Lou at Patio Postcards had posted a photo of her garden, back in August.  The photo featured a rose and a sign about gardeners knowing the best dirt.  When I saw the photo, it gave me an idea:

Embroidered Picture Gift

I made this embroidered picture as part of the gift for gardener friend M.  Fabric, embroidery floss, picture frame, and little ceramic flowers on the frame are from my craft supplies stash!  The idea, of course, came from Mary-Lou's sign.  Thank you, Mary-Lou for the inspiration!  

Later in the evening, I spoke with friend A who is now back home from hospital.  I am hoping to be able to visit her after Christmas.  I also called and checked on friend R.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to enjoy daughter's company for a full year!
- Cousins inviting us to join them for Christmas dinner
- Being able to see P's daughter, again
- Shipping and delivery services!
- Donations being pick up

Today's joyful activity was having take out Japanese food for lunch (and dinner) and wrapping gifts.

Plans for tomorrow include doing a curbside pick up at the fabric store (not for fabric, but for replacement blades for my rotary cutter and some clear elastic thread that my daughter wanted; she was able to apply a 20% off total purchase coupon on this online order).  Plus more gift making and wrapping, etc., too.  

How was your Wednesday?  Are you just about done with your holiday gift shopping and gift making?