An Afternoon Tea Party

Afternoon Tea

Daughter held her afternoon tea party for her friends on Sunday.  She had invited them to arrive at 1:30 p.m.  

Daughter made the sandwiches in the morning.  I especially liked how the the cucumber sandwiches looked while she was making them:

Cucumber Sandwiches with Dill and Chives

I helped her with arranging the food on the plates and doing the last minute preparations including picking chives for the cucumber sandwiches, ironing the table cloth, for the coffee table, picking fresh flowers for the vase, etc.    

One friend arrived just before 1:30 p.m. and the friend whose birthday they were celebrating arrived shortly after 1:30 p.m., which was fine.  I stayed in the family room while they sat in the living room and chatted and enjoyed their tea.  

Then they moved to the family room/crafts room to work on their craft project and I retreated to my bedroom, where I knitted and watched some online videos.  

They put together a "book nook" from a kit that one of the friends had gifted to my daughter.  It depicts a train (No. 315) on a bridge over a river with cherry blossoms:

Sakura Densya

It's hard to tell from my pictures, but, there are two people on board the train!

So Detailed!

It took them hours to assemble the book nook!  At one point, I suggested to daughter that she ordered a pizza or something for dinner, but, her friends didn't want anymore food as there were leftovers from the tea and daughter gave them some of the leftovers to take home, too.

They were here till after 8:00 p.m.!  The friend whose birthday was being celebrated stayed behind to help daughter tidy up the family room/crafts room and she left just after 8:30 p.m.  

Daughter put away the last of the leftovers and I helped her by washing all the dishes.  We ate sandwiches and leftovers for dinner and relaxed.  Daughter was tired, but, very happy and I was happy, too.

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- Daughter being able to host a tea party for her friends
- The sound of laughter as daughter and her friends enjoyed each other's company

- Daughter having some good friends who I know will be there for her

- Good food to share 
- A lovely day all around

My joyful activities included helping daughter with the tea party and knitting.

Another Look at the Afternoon Tea Spread

It was a tiring day, but, everyone enjoyed it.

On Sunday

 

Red Rose

On Sunday, when I first woke up at 6:00 a.m. to feed Dancer (he didn't care that I went to sleep at 3:30 a.m.; he wanted breakfast), I looked outside and it was so misty that I could barely see to the end of the garden.  When I woke up for the second time, it was sunny and bright; the mist had all disappeared.

We had pancakes and sausages for brunch.  It wasn't in my meal plan, but, it was what I was in the mood for and what I felt like making.  Afterwards, I walked for 15 minutes, did a couple of loads of laundry, changed the dust sheets on the sofas, watched some TV (cooking shows), and spent an hour or so crafting, as that's my new goal for this month, to spend more time crafting on a daily basis.  I also watched the evening news and some online videos and watered the houseplants.  

For dinner, we had "breakfast for dinner" - daughter, quite literally, as she ate the leftovers from brunch, and I had a scrambled egg and a microwave baked sweet potato.  Daughter had peach cobbler for dessert and so far, I have managed to avoid it.  

On Sunday, I am grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- Time to do crafts
- Working appliances
- Emails from friends
- Kind blog comments

Sunday's joyful activities included doing crafts and walking in my garden.

Plans for Monday include:

- Going to my dental appointment in the afternoon
- Putting away laundry
- Watering the garden
- Taking the trash cans to the curb
- Crafting
- Taking down and putting away the Halloween decorations
- Cleaning the living room
- Making a meal plan

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

Winter Solstice on Saturday

A Trio of Pokemon: Charmander, Pikachu, and Bulbasaur

 

My daughter made three Christmas themed Pokemon using Perler beads on Saturday: Charmander is wearing a Santa hat, Pikachu has got entangled in a string of Christmas lights, and Bulbasaur's bulb has turned into a Christmas tree!  

Saturday was winter solstice and, to celebrate the shortest day of the year and the beginning of winter, I dusted the living room and dining area and put out some of my Christmas decorations.  This year, I am decorating minimally, but, a little goes a long way, doesn't it?    

In the morning, I took Dancer to the vet's clinic to get his injection.  Although I sedated him before we left, he still meowed a bit during the ride there and then, just before we got to the clinic, he threw up.  But, he was quiet on the way home and then, he slept for most of the afternoon.

I did laundry in the afternoon, crocheted, did some paperwork and bill paying, and relaxed watching some online videos.  

Brunch was grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and cut up fresh oranges.  Dinner was salad, followed by sauteed Italian sausages cooked with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, homegrown corn on the cob, leftover steamed broccoli and rice. We had baklava for dessert.  

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- Dancer received his monthly injection and the trip there was only a little stressful for him
- We had a safe drive to the clinic and back
- Winter solstice and being able to look forward to longer daylight hours
- Warm clothes and plenty of blankets to make up for not having a working heater
- The appliances that are still working!

Saturday's joyful activities included crocheting and decorating the house.

Plans for Sunday include making a couple of holiday gifts.

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

On Sunday

 

Togepi in a Stocking

Togepi is another Pokemon, who is usually depicted as hatching from its egg.  You can see a little bit of the top of the egg shell above the stocking.  This was daughter's crafted ornament of the day.  In addition, she decorated a couple of baubles at my request:

Snowflakes

More Snowflakes

And Stars

On Sunday, I started to decorate the Christmas tree.  I didn't finish decorating it, though.

In the afternoon, neighbor S's daughter N texted my daughter and asked her if she'd like to have some clothes, some with their tags still on them, that N was decluttering from her closet.  Daughter said she'd love to have them and N brought them over about 20 minutes later, telling daughter to keep what she liked and donate or do whatever she liked with the others.  There were five tops in the bag of clothes - three which were long sleeved knit tops (too thin to be considered as sweaters) and two short sleeved blouses.  All the items except one blouse had the tags still on.  Daughter tried them on and the three knit tops fitted her perfectly.  The two blouses were a big snug on her, but, they fitted me, just right!  So, I will keep them for the summer and declutter two of my older blouses.

Later, I did two loads of laundry, including the new clothes and daughter's bed sheets.  Afterwards, I remade daughter's bed, with the washed and dried sheets.

Brunch had been egg salad (I usually add finely diced green Serrano chilies to my egg salad; today, I added diced red and green Serrano chilies to it and called it Christmas egg salad), bananas, and orange juice.  For dinner, I made a curry with some of the leftover turkey, sauteed broccoli, and freshly cooked rice.  I looked for the two cucumbers I had bought on Friday, but, apparently, I didn't receive them!  Or, if I did receive them, then, I don't know where I put them!  They were not in the fridge, they were not in the one bag of hot cheetos that I had kept in the spare bedroom, they were not in the cabinet where I had stored some of the canned items (tuna) and bottled salad dressing I had bought.  I went through the fridge shelf by shelf and drawer by drawer and cleaned the fridge while I looked for the cucumbers, so that task was done!  I had been too busy on Friday to check the groceries against the receipt as I normally do and now, it is too late to call the store to say that an item was missing.  Maybe the cucumbers were accidentally given to the other pick up customer who was waiting while my groceries were being loaded into my car.

After dinner, I ran the dishwasher and washed all of Dancer's food bowls by hand.  I also chatted with friend R and ordered some holiday gifts.  I'm trying to get the Christmas and New Year gifts ordered well in advance, this year, because I want to focus more on preparations for the almsgiving which is scheduled for the 28th of December.

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- A nice, sunny day
- Working appliances
- The gift of new clothes
- Being able to order items online
- What I was able to accomplish

Sunday's joyful activity was starting to decorate the Christmas tree.

Plans for Monday include:

- Finish decorating the Christmas tree
- Put away the laundry
- Water the front garden
- Clean my bedroom

- Take the trash cans to the curb for pick up on Tuesday morning

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?  Have you started shopping for Christmas gifts?

On Saturday

Beaded Snowflake

On Saturday, my daughter made a beaded snowflake ornament.

We went to the big box DIY store to return the damaged light bulbs.  After we returned them, I purchased another set of bulbs from the store to try out and also a packet of two ceiling fan light bulbs to replace the burned out bulb in one of the ceiling fans.  

After we came home, I paid my water and electricity bill and my natural gas bill.  Then, I watched some videos and later, daughter and I sang some karaoke Christmas and Disney songs.  I also started crocheting the border on the blanket I am making.

Brunch was croissant sandwiches with sliced ham and lettuce as the filling.  Dinner was leftover Japanese food.  Fresh fruits and popcorn for snacks, ice cream for dessert.  

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- The light bulbs return at the store was quick and hassle-free
- Helpful sales assistants
- Singing with my daughter
- E-mails from friends

Saturday's joyful activity was singing with my daughter.

Plans for Sunday include decorating the tree.  

How is your weekend coming along?  

 

On Friday:

Beaded Wreath

Daughter made more ornaments.  The beaded wreath is what she made on Thursday.  She originally meant for it to be one of a pair of earrings, but, the wreath turned out a bit too big.  So, it can be a pendant, instead, or an ornament for the tree!

Mew and Star Felt Ornament: Front

Friday's ornament was a felt start, with a Pokemon called Mew holding on to it.  

Mew and Star Felt Ornament - Back

On Friday, I picked up the groceries I ordered online on Thursday.  Everything I ordered was available and there were no substitutions.

On the way home, I stopped at our favorite neighborhood Japanese restaurant and picked up the food my daughter had ordered earlier in the morning: 

Unagi (Eel) Donburi

Daughter wanted the Unagi (eel) donburi and I wanted my usual, which is the teriyaki beef lunch special:

Teriyaki Beef Lunch Special

Which comes with miso soup (not pictured), salad, tempura shrimp and vegetables, along with the dipping sauce in a little container, sunomono (cucumber and seaweed pickle), some other pickles and a slice of orange, as well as the rice and teriyaki beef.  There was enough for our dinner, as well.

After brunch, I removed the last couple of items I had still left on the entertainment center shelving unit - the CD holder and the radio/CD/records player, and took out the glass coffee table top (from an old coffee table) that I had stored behind the unit.  This glass coffee table top gets put on top of the small folding table, every now and then, when I need an extra table during almsgivings, etc., so I am not ready to declutter it.

Then, I started to move the Christmas decoration bins from the corner of the garage where they are usually stored.  I was able to lift the three smaller bins and I pushed another stack of bins with old file folders (to be sorted through and disposed of, at a later date) to make room for the old entertainment center shelving unit in the garage.  I was just waiting until M came to tend to the garden to ask him to help me move the last two larger bins of Christmas decorations and the shelving unit.

The package with the kitchen light bulbs arrived at the same time as M did, which was good timing!  But, first, he wanted to spray the fruit trees with a copper dormant spray and plant the amaryllis bulb he had brought for me.  While he did that, I took the florescent light tubes out of the package and cleaned the cover of the light fixture.

Then, M tried to install the light bulbs and that's when we discovered that the end of one of the new light bulbs was damaged.  The package they had arrived in had been heavily taped at one end, too, so, it's possible that the package itself got damaged during shipping.  Even the undamaged light bulb didn't give out as bright a light as I had expected.  I was so disappointed.  I had been looking forward to having some light in the kitchen while cooking and doing the dishes.  

Anyway, daughter called the store and we have to take the damaged item to the store to return and either exchange or get a refund.  So, getting the kitchen light replaced will take a little longer.

Afterwards, M moved the two big bins aside and I swept that corner of the garage.  Then, M moved the shelving unit out of the family room and set it up in the garage.  Then, we took the Christmas tree (artificial) out of its box and set it up in the family room where the shelving unit used to be.  It's a new spot for the Christmas tree and it means I don't have to move the second sofa in the family room to accommodate the tree as in years past.  

Daughter hung the new ornaments she made on the tree, but, otherwise, the tree is undecorated as yet.  That's something to do over the weekend.

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to get the groceries I ordered, the pick up went well without any problems
- Being able to treat ourselves to Japanese food for brunch (with leftovers for dinner)
- M's help with the garden and all the other things he does to help around the house
- The new amaryllis bulb M brought to plant in my garden
- Daughter's help with calling the store to report the damaged light bulb and find out what we need to do to return it

Today's joyful activities included enjoying a favorite meal, setting up the Christmas tree, and getting the old entertainment center shelving unit out of the house.  It's not decluttered in the sense that it is now in the garage, but, at least, it is out of the family room.

Plans for Saturday include:

- returning the damaged light bulbs to the store and hopefully getting replacement bulbs
- decorating the Christmas tree

- tidying the family room

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

 

Starting December

Pichu Holding Wreath Ornament

My daughter has made a list of craft activities to do in December; she has written them in strips of paper which she folded and put inside a box.  Every day, she shakes the box and picks out one slip of paper.  On Sunday, December 1, she made a felt Pichu ornament; Pichu is a Pokemon who evolves into Pikachu.  

Here are Monday's ornaments:

Round Glasses and a Lightning Bolt Shaped Scar:
Guess Who?

Hedwig

On Sunday, it being the first day of the month, I made my traditional brunch of milkrice.  We had it with the last of the jar of seeni sambol.

Afterwards, we did a little more online shopping!  The humidifier I had bought when my daughter was a baby (at her doctor's recommendation) had developed a small leak.  I had set it up, last week, and run it without noticing the leak until Saturday night, when I saw a puddle of water on the floor and the table on which I had kept the humidifier.  So, we ordered a new humidifier and there were a few clothing items that my daughter needed, so they were ordered, too.  Then, since I had come to the end of the jar of seeni sambol and had opened the last packet of tea, I put in an order for groceries from the Sri Lankan store, too.  Besides the seeni sambol and tea, I needed a few things for the almsgiving and for the love cake we make during the holiday season and, of course, some of our favorite snacks and treats!

For dinner, I baked some lime/ginger/chili marinated salmon fillets and served it with rice and sauteed green beans.

Today, Monday, December 2, I got a call from the Sri Lankan store, saying my order was ready for pick up.  So, I drove to the store in the afternoon.  While I was there, I took a picture of some of the British treats they had for sale:

British Treats at the Sri Lankan Store

I was tempted to buy a box of Quality Street sweets, but, the price was $22.99 and I decided that it was too expensive.  Besides, I bought some Sri Lankan sweets and cakes, on this visit, and I thought that was plenty.  

Brunch was leftover milkrice and we enjoyed some of the Sri Lankan snacks and cakes for our tea.  Dinner was ham sandwiches.  

In the evening, I took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning.  I had planned to water the garden, but, it was getting dark by then, and I decided the garden could wait until Tuesday.

As we start December, I am grateful for:

- Sunny, warm days
- Being able to obtain Sri Lankan groceries
- Being able to order things online and have them delivered
- A safe drive to the Sri Lankan store and back
- Having daughter home with me

Joyful activities have included spending time with my daughter and enjoying some goodies from the Sri Lankan store.  

Plans for Tuesday include:

- Going to the pharmacy to pick up medication refills
- Bringing the emptied trash cans in
- Watering the garden
- Putting away the laundry

I hope everyone is keeping well and staying safe and warm, especially in the areas where there are snow storms and lots of rain.

Another Project Mostly Finished

 

Crewel Embroidery Kit

Does anyone remember this?  Way back in September 2018, I received this piece of fabric with a stamped design and three small balls of yarn from one of the ladies in the library's knitting club that I had joined.  I didn't start on it until July 2021!  I worked on it, off and on, putting it aside for a long time because I didn't have all the colors of yarn that I would have liked, including brown for the basket and the stems. 

Eventually, I used a bit of brown knitting yarn, unraveling it to separate the strands to make it thin enough to approximate the thickness of the yarn I had been given, to sew the stems.  But, that solution didn't work for the basket.

I looked for brown crewel yarn at the craft stores, but, I didn't find any.  I didn't want to order a whole set of crewel embroidery yarn online, as I was not planning to do a lot of crewel embroidery.  So, the project sat, among my "projects in progress", until now.  

I needed a project to work on while I watched the Olympics games.  I decided that I will make the best of the situation and limit myself to the yarn I had on hand.

The Completed Crewel Embroidery

There's nothing like an orange basket to brighten up your day, is there?  LOL.

Well, the embroidery part is done and now, I'm left with wondering what to do with it!  Should I turn it into a cushion cover?  It wouldn't be super washable, I think.  Should I frame it and hang it on my wall?  Should I just donate it?  What do you suggest?

The End of the Week

Thai Food for Lunch (and leftovers for dinner)

On Friday, we ordered some take out from one of our favorite neighborhood Thai food places.  One really couldn't call it a restaurant.  It is a kitchen with a roofed patio area with some tables and chairs, but, it produces some of the best Thai food in town!  I've been getting food from this place for over 31 years and, while the prices have gone up, the food tastes as good as ever!  From left to right: beef fried rice (we requested they left out the tomatoes), chicken laab (spicy), beef salad (also spicy).  We enjoyed it for lunch and had leftovers for dinner and there are more leftovers for Saturday, as well.

You could say that we were celebrating the fact that daughter has extended her stay for another week, until Easter Sunday.  She will fly back on the Monday after that.  We are both very thankful that she is able to stay another week.

M was here in the evening and he had bought several bags of fertilizer for the fruit trees for me.  He applied the fertilizer to all the fruit trees and watered it in.  We are supposed to have rain over the weekend, but, as M said, putting water today will ensure that there will be rain over the weekend!  LOL.  I'm hoping that it will rain because the garden could do with another good soaking.

On Thursday, I kept my appointment with the tax preparer and filed my taxes.  I had to pay additional taxes which is never fun, but, I'm thankful that I had funds set aside for that (and the preparer's fees).  I'm glad that task is crossed off my to do list!  

Daughter and I had chicken curry sandwiches (made with the dinner rolls I got from the grocery store) for brunch.  For dinner, we had beef curry (from the freezer) with rice and cucumber salad.  

Birthday Card

I needed to make a quick birthday card, today.  The pattered paper is actually a piece of recycled packaging material that was at the bottom of a package of tea candles!  I had saved it to use for card making because I liked the pattern!

I am grateful for:
- My leg is continuing to heal

- Getting my taxes done and filed
- My daughter is able to extend her stay for another week
- M's help with the garden
- Card making supplies

Joyful activities have included crocheting, making a card, tending to the garden, and spending time with my daughter.

We are not making any special plans for the weekend.  I'll probably do some laundry and maybe do some baking.  There is some sewing I wanted to do for my daughter, which I couldn't do earlier due to needing to rest my leg; maybe I can do that this weekend.

How was your Friday and the end of the work week?  What are your plans for the weekend?

Friday - Updated

Mammatus Cloud Formation 
 Cirrocumulus/altocumulus

It was a sunny day, today, with an afternoon high of 73F.  When I went outside in the late afternoon, I saw this cloud formation.  At first I thought they were mammatus clouds, also known as popcorn clouds.  But, Lady Ella suggested they might be what is known as mackerel skies - formed by altocumulus or cirrocumulus clouds and now that she has mentioned it, I think that's what these clouds are and Celie, who teaches a class in weather had confirmed it!  Thank you, Celie!

I think I might use this for the "cloud formations" picture in the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt final selection.

"Popcorn" Clouds Mackerel Skies!

I spent a rather relaxed day.  I spent some time in the garden and taking a few pictures:

Garden Lizard, Sunning Itself

Then, I continued to read my library book, until M arrived to tend to the garden.  He continued with the weeding (the garden plants aren't the only plants to respond to the rain!)  

Mary-Lou wanted to see the bay laurel wreath I had made.  Here's how the wreath looked, yesterday, after I made it:

Bay Laurel Wreath

After I took that picture, I decided it looked too plain and needed a raffia bow to dress it up a bit.  Here's how it looked, today, after the leaves dried, overnight:

Bay Laurel Wreath with Bow

The leaves are not as glossy, but, the dried bay leaves will last for a long time.  I gave the wreath to M, today, to give to his sister.  I kept a few of the leaves I trimmed off to dry and use for my cooking.  I did have fun making the wreath.

Speaking of wreaths, here's the wreath base I made with the passionfruit vines that were pruned:

Passionfruit Vine Wreath Base

It looks a bit like a grapevine wreath, doesn't it?  I haven't decorated it yet (obviously); I could use it as a spring wreath, but, I think it will be more suitable for a fall wreath.  What do you think?

In the evening, I watched news and later, a movie, "Love Story", on TV.  I read the book when I was in Sri Lanka, but, I don't remember ever seeing the movie.

Today, I'm grateful for:

- A sunny, warm day in February!
- M's help with the garden
- Library books
- Phone calls and emails from family and friends
- Being able to order things online and have them delivered to the door (cat litter!)

Today's joyful activities included reading and gardening.

Brunch had been a cold cuts and cheese sandwich (using up the last bit of roast beef cold cuts).   I had the last piece of the fruit cake at tea time.  Dinner was rice and the smoked sausage stir fry, with half a large apple for dessert.

I don't have any plans as such for Saturday.  How about you?  Any plans for the weekend?

* Updated to reidentify the types of clouds.

The Garden in October

The Front Garden in October

It's time again to post the monthly garden pictures.  I've been taking pictures of the front garden on or about the same date every month to see the changes from month to month.

The Parkway

Technically not part of the front garden, but, I wanted to show that the pebbles and paving stones are working and still in place!  Every so often, a weed or two will show up, but, they are easily dealt with.

The View from the Other End

The succulents are doing really well (and so are some of the self-seeded osteospermum!)

The Succulents

The asparagus ferns have filled in most of the bed along the walkway to the front door:

Asparagus Ferns (and Other Plants)

A quick look around the back garden:

The Back Garden

The back garden is looking a bit overgrown and there's a bit of cleaning up to be done.

The squash vine is continuing to grow:

The Squash Vine 

As you can see, the vine has reached the second step!  The butternut is starting to turn color!

Lemon Grass (top left), Volunteer Cherry Tomatoes (top right)
A Loquat Plant (bottom left), Volunteer Tomato Seedlings (bottom right)

The celery seedlings that M planted earlier bolted before the stems grew big enough to harvest and I let them go to seed.  Looks like one of those seeds germinated:

Celery Seedling

The plumbago hedge is looking like it needs to be pruned back:

Plumbago Hedge

It's at least four feet deep at this point!  It has almost covered up the sweet potato vine that is growing in front of it!  

The garden continues to grow and evolve, and I am glad I am able to have a garden.

Today, I am grateful for:
- A sunny, if cooler (high of 73F) day

- Having my garden 
- M's help with the garden
- The garden produce I am able to pick
- The garden flowers

Today's joyful activities included being out in the garden and redoing the Halloween wreath:

Renewed Halloween Wreath

I reused the wreath base, the scarecrow, and the other items from the old wreath and some artificial greenery that I had on hand (some of which had been used in and removed from previous wreaths).

Stick to Your Knitting and Patchwork, Bless!

A Crow's Nest of a Basket!  

Ever since M pruned some of the branches of the bottlebrush tree, I've been itching to try my hand at making a twig basket.  Unfortunately, one needs pliable material, either freshly cut twigs or ones have have been soaked in water.  Twigs that have been out in 95F heat for nearly a week are not the best material to use to make a basket.  Did that deter me from attempting to make a basket?  Of course not!  LOL!

I started out with eight fairly straight long twigs laid out in a cross shape and started weaving the bottom and experienced problems almost immediately as the rather brittle twigs began to break!  But, I persevered and managed to find some twigs that did not break as long as I didn't try to bend them too much.  Which meant the weave couldn't be as close as I wanted.  Then, at some point, I got tired of trying to strip all the leaves so I left them in place!  They helped to fill in the gaps!  LOL.  But, I admit that it would have looked a bit neater without the leaves!  Maybe I'll trim them off, tomorrow!

The resulting basket is rather flat, like a trug.  I was able to bend two of the branches, without breaking them, to make sort of handles, although they'll probably come out of the weave at the slightest tug!  Then, I "decorated" it with some of the seedheads stuck near one of the handles!

I've no idea what I'll do with this basket which looks a bit like a crow's nest and I don't mean the type that is high on the mast of an old sailing ship!  Maybe I'll ask M to buy me some coconut fiber or something to line it and grow something in it!  Maybe I'll just toss it in the compost pile!

Maybe I should have just made a wreath base with the twigs!  But, I already have a wreath that I made with some grapevines and don't really need another wreath!  Maybe I should have used strips of fabric to weave, instead of twigs.

However, I spent a lovely afternoon outside, on a sunny, but, cooler day, doing a fun project and enjoying myself.  That's what retirement life is supposed to be all about, isn't it?  

Maybe I will try again, when M cuts down a few more branches, and do so while the branches are still fresh and pliant!

Dancer is much better, today, although he still had a bit of an accident in the bathroom and I had to wash my bathroom mats.  Thank goodness for washing machines!

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny, cooler day
- A lovely afternoon spent outside
- A fun and frugal project
- M pruning the bottlebrush tree branches
- Leisure time!

Today's joyful activity was trying my hand at basketry!  

Another Finished Project

New Sweater - Front

This is the sweater I've been knitting in the evenings, usually while watching the evening news.  I'd repair the triangles quilt in the afternoons when there was plenty of daylight to sew by and knit in the evenings for an hour or so.

New Sweater - Back

The yarn I used is 100% wool (Patons Classic Wool Worsted).  I had purchased five 3.5 oz/100 g balls in a color named "Softened Pansy" (although the color in the photos above appears a little bluer than it is).  I added color blocks in a dark grey wool (also Patons Classic Wool Worsted) that I had leftover from a previous sweater I had knitted, to the front, partly because I wanted a little visual interest and partly because I have another solid blue sweater and I didn't want two solid blue sweaters (although the other solid blue sweater has a central cable).  At first, I was just going to do blue on one side and the grey on the other side, but, then, I changed my mind and decided to go with color blocks, instead!  They are off-centered and of unequal lengths on purpose.  I am short and chunky; I'd like to think the unequal color blocks provide a bit of an optical illusion of a longer torso!  LOL.  I finished sewing the sweater together, yesterday.

One thing I learned this winter, when I was wearing 3 or more layers on top to keep warm, was that things got a bit tight around the armholes and that would pull the uppermost garment across my shoulders at the back of my neck, which felt uncomfortable to me.   So, I made this sweater sized a bit larger to comfortably wear over a long sleeved top.  I decided on a turtle neck for added warmth.  This sweater is designed for next winter, when I anticipate even higher heating bills!  

It Fits!

For anyone who is interested, I used UK size 10 needles for the ribbing and UK size 8 needles for the rest of it.  The UK size 10 needles and a pair of UK size 12 needles were my very first pairs of knitting needles, bought in 1965 when I was in 4th grade because we had to learn either crocheting or knitting for  our weekly Handicrafts class and I chose knitting.  I knitted a scarf in green and yellow, I remember, which were my House colors at school.  At first, I was knitting it in stockinette stitch (knit on one side, purl on the other), but, then, one of my cousins showed me how to do a basket weave pattern and I unpicked what I had done up to that time and reknitted the scarf.  I don't know what happened to the scarf, but, I kept my knitting needles!  They are still some of my favorite knitting needles!

Knitting Needles: No. 10 Above; No. 12 Below

They are both slightly bent (especially the thinner, No. 12 ones), but, I'm keeping them because they are special to me.  

Speaking of heating bills, I received my April natural gas bill (covering the period of March 22 to April 20).  The initial bill tracker notice email, received March 31 stated that, 9 days into the billing period, my bill was $47.88 and my projected bill was estimated to be $155.63.  The next bill tracker notice, received April 7, stated that 16 days into the billing period, my bill was $85.69 and the projected bill was $151.47.  The third bill tracker notice, received April 14, stated that 23 days had elapsed and my bill was $92.52 and the projected bill was $118.12.  The bill was received on April 21 and the actual bill is $108.10.  I am happy with that bill amount.  It has been warm during these past few days and I have not needed to have the big heater on (I've used the electric space heater in the evenings, when I've felt cold).  I don't anticipate it getting cold enough again to need the heater on until fall, so, my May bill should be much less (my stove, water heater, clothes dryer all work on natural gas, even though I don't use the dryer all that much, especially in the summer).  I will still budget the same amount each month and build up a reserve for the higher winter bills.

Today, I am grateful for:

- A new sweater to wear when the weather turns cold
- Learning to knit 
- My yarn stash and collection of knitting needles
- Getting the gas bill down
- The warmer weather.

 Today's joyful activity was modeling my new sweater!  LOL!

Cloudy Monday

Pink Rose 

Monday was mostly cloudy, with the daytime high in the low 60s. 

I managed to walk for 20 minutes, today.  I did 15 minutes and then, 5 additional minutes.  Needless to say, I feel very happy with myself.  

Afterwards, I watered the back garden and picked a few more pea pods.  Tossed another soccer ball over the wall, too!  

Remember the self-seeded broccoli growing in the back garden?  Here's how they looked back at the end of November, 2022:  

Self-Seeded Broccoli Seedlings: November 2022

Here's how they looked in January 2023:

Self-Seeded Broccoli Seedling: January 2023

They had grown by March:

Self-Seeded Broccoli: March 2023

I peeked inside the plant later in March for the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt:

A Peek Inside the Broccoli Plant

And here it is, today:

Broccoli Stalk/Head: April 2023

I will wait until Wednesday to pick it, when M is here to do the honors.  Two of the other broccoli plants have much smaller stalks of broccoli; the plants are smaller, too.

Later, I did two loads of laundry and hung everything up (inside the house) to dry.

In the afternoon, I sewed on the quilt I've been repairing.  The repairs have been completed:

The Repaired Triangles Quilt

There are 14 rows of 40 triangles per row; so, 560 triangles, plus 28 half triangles at each side.  I replaced 237 full triangles plus at least 20 of the half triangles!  Where there were several pieces torn in a sort of cluster, I covered them with a hexagon and there are also two larger triangles to replace four smaller triangles.  It would have been faster if I had just sewn a new quilt top, but, it was satisfying to repair the quilt, one piece at a time.  What will I do with my afternoons now that the quilt has been repaired?  I've one less excuse to procrastinate on some housework and paperwork!  LOL!

In the evening, I watched the news, took the trash cans to the end of the driveway, and started the car.  I cooked rice for dinner, warmed up a package of frozen chicken curry, and made a cucumber salad to go have with it.  Brunch had been one of the yogurt flat bread/roti I had made when I made the "pizza" with some katta sambol from a jar.  Katta sambol is a mixture of onions, small flakes of Maldive fish (a type of dried fish), lime juice, and red chili flakes, all ground together.  I usually buy mine already prepared from the Sri Lankan store, but, it can be made at home, too.

For dessert, I made one of my famous dump cakes, using a can of fruit cocktail which had passed its best by date:

Fruit Cocktail Dump Cake

Afterwards, I washed what felt like a mountain of dishes and tidied the kitchen a bit.

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to walk for 20 minutes

- Water for the garden
- Roses and snow peas and broccoli

- Working appliances

- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was completing the quilt repairs.  

Plans for tomorrow include putting away the laundry and tidying the house a bit.  

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for the rest of the week?