Friday

Dandelion

Friday was a more productive day than Thursday.  I put away the laundry from yesterday and did another load which is hanging up to dry.  I picked a few more snow pea pods from the garden and, when M was here to tend to the garden in the evening, we planted a few more green beans that had sprouted and a jacaranda seedling that had been growing in a pot (M grew it from a seed).  I also cleaned the bathroom, which is on my weekly cleaning schedule for Fridays.  In between, I sewed a few more patches on the quilt I am repairing.  And, in the evening, I walked for 20 minutes.  I wasn't experiencing any discomfort, but, I didn't want to try and push for 25 minutes.    

Brunch was more sardines on toast and dinner was chicken curry and lavash bread.  I had some cereal, grapes, and strawberries as snacks.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Feeling more energetic
- What I was able to accomplish
- M helping with the garden
- TV shows to watch
- Working appliances.  

Today's joyful activities included gardening with M and video chatting with my daughter.

Plans for tomorrow include a little more housework and sewing.

What are your plans for the weekend?
 

Sunny Monday

Helper Kitty

Last night (Sunday night), I didn't turn the big gas heater on at all and used the electric space heater in the family room.  I had it set at a low temperature, but, close to where I was seated, so I stayed nice and warm.  I turned it off before I went to sleep.  I have made my bed with layers of quilts and blankets - there is a quilt and a blanket under the flannel fitted sheet, and I cover myself with a flannel flat sheet, two blankets, and two quilts!  Plus, I wear a pair of wool socks that I knitted and, last night, I wore my knitted neck warmer, as well!  I was comfortably warm, but, not hot.  I'm not kidding when I say I feel cold.    

This morning, when I woke up, the house was at 54F.  I turned on the gas heater for a short time while I said my morning prayers and drank my cup of tea.  The thermostat has now been set at 65F, but, I turned the heater off before it reached that temperature.  I was dressed in layers and I felt comfortable.  Besides, it was a sunny day and the afternoon high went up to 67F.  (But, the night time low will be 48F, tonight.)

After I turned the heater off, I got busy with dusting the living room, dining area, and family room.  Then, I vacuumed the living room, dining area, hallway leading to the bedrooms, and the kitchen.  I started on the family room, but, when I vacuumed under one of the sofas, I discovered that my daughter had accidentally left a pair of socks under there!  I managed to pull one of the socks out of the vacuum cleaner, but, the other sock had got lodged in the vacuum cleaner hose!  (It's a canister vacuum cleaner).  I disconnected the hose and took part of the handle apart but, I couldn't see where the sock might be lodged.  I am assuming it is lodged somewhere because there is no suction power when I turn the vacuum cleaner on.  I didn't feel like pulling the manual out and taking the whole thing apart, so, I left that for tomorrow.  But, that was the end of the vacuuming (and housework) for today!  Later, I cleaned the litter box and took the trash cans to the end of the driveway to be picked up, tomorrow, but, that was all.

In the afternoon, it was 67F and breezy outside and 62F inside the house.  So, I opened a couple of windows and the front door to create some air flow, to hopefully warm up the house, but, it didn't do much!  I walked outside for a bit and it was warm in the sun, but, cool in the shade.  I had considered watering the front garden, today, but, it was too windy and by the time the wind died down, it was after sunset and too cold to be watering!  

Once again, I spent the afternoon sewing, repairing the quilt.  As you can see, Dancer was on hand to lend a helping paw and do some quality control!  Well, he might have slept on the job, a bit, but, that was after he took a good look to see that I was doing the repairs properly.  

Oh, and the gas company sent me my monthly energy report for November 19 - December 19, 2022, showing how much the "energy efficient" houses used (34 therms), how much the "similar" households used (67 therms), and how much I used (134 therms).  Yes, I know how I compare with other households; maybe they don't feel as cold as I do!

I was going to do a meal plan, today, but, I didn't.  Brunch was a scrambled egg and a piece of toast.  I was going to have soup for dinner, but, I had fried potato slices, instead, and half an apple.  I just wasn't hungry for a full meal.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Dancer's help with various projects
- Sunny days and warmer afternoons
- My stash of quilts and blankets!
- The electric space heaters and electricity to run them
- What I managed to accomplish today

Today's joyful activity was sewing in the afternoon sunshine with Dancer!

Tuesday plans include a visit to the cemetery (my mother's death anniversary), maybe a trip to the Temple, and more quilt repairs, of course.  My daughter is scheduled to fly back from Hawaii, tomorrow; I hope she'll have a safe and smooth flight back.

How was your Monday?  Did you have a good start to your week?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Rainy Days and Mondays

Rain Drops on Blurry Peach Blossoms

It rained quite a bit, last night, but, this morning was sunny.  Then, by the afternoon, the clouds moved in and it rained again!

I called the doctor's office first thing in the morning and asked them to call in a new prescription to the pharmacy, explaining that I had just enough medication for today's dose.  I don't usually wait until the last minute like this, but, things got put off just before Christmas when I was worried about my daughter getting Covid, etc. and I got behind with my regular tasks.

Then, I did a load of laundry thanks to Dancer who had left a present for me on my bathmat even though his litter box was only a foot or so away.  And I dusted (living room, dining area, family room), swept (kitchen and bathroom), and watered the houseplants.  

I waited till one o'clock and called the pharmacy to see if they received the new prescription order from the doctor's office.  Yes, they received it, but, they claimed that it was too early to refill, that I was not due for a refill yet, and I should still have some pills left!  I assured them that I didn't have any more pills, just the one pill for today.  So, the pharmacy staff member said she will try to put it through again and apparently, this time, it worked!  She said it will be ready for pick up in two hours.

In the meantime, I started cleaning the fridge.  Halfway through that, the doctor's office called to say that the prescription was ready at the pharmacy (I guess the pharmacy notified the doctor's office?  I didn't know that they did that!)  Then, I received the text notification that the medication was ready for pick up.  I stopped cleaning the fridge and went to the pharmacy to pick up the medication.  I've been having them mail me the medications, but, this time, I didn't want to wait the two or three days that takes.  I wore my mask and although most of the people shopping at the pharmacy weren't wearing masks, the pharmacy staff were masked.  I didn't do any additional shopping at the pharmacy; just picked up my medication and came home!  

It started to rain just as I was leaving the house and it was raining quite steadily when I came home!  But, the rain ceased after I got home!  LOL.  

I finished cleaning the main part of the fridge after I came home - the shelves and the drawers.  But, I didn't get to the shelves on the door - I was going to do them after I watched the evening news, but, I didn't.  So, that will be done tomorrow.

I had a couple of items to toss from the fridge - one was half a jar of apple sauce that had been in the fridge for a long time and the other was a piece of cheese that had got moldy.  There were also some old lemons and one mandarin that had started to spoil - they went to the compost heap.  

Later, I took the trash cans and the recycling bin to the end of the driveway for pickup tomorrow.

What I didn't do was the freezer inventory; that, too, will be on tomorrow's to do list.

Still later, I chatted with friend R and video chatted with my daughter.  

Brunch had been some gyoza/pot stickers from the freezer; dinner was leftover salmon, leftover half a baked potato, and some green peas from the freezer.  I topped the baked potato with some of the leftover green relish that came as a dipping sauce with the samosas.  Mandarins for dessert.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The doctor's office called in the refill to the pharmacy promptly
- The pharmacy was able to fill the prescription (after the initial confusion that it was too soon to refill)
- The availability of medications
- Insurance to help pay for the medications
-A safe drive to the pharmacy and back

Today's joyful activity was collecting my medication!

Tuesday's To Do List:

- Clean the fridge door shelves
- Freezer inventory
- Dust and tidy my bedroom

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

Rain on the Car Windshield

The Weekend

Indian Treats: Jalebi, Samosas and Sauces, and Mango Lassi

We have had a lovely, sunny weekend, with day time highs in the mid 60s (F).

On Saturday, daughter went on a hike with two of her friends (my late friend A's daughters).  On the way back from the hike, they had stopped at an Indian restaurant to pick up some items to go.  Daughter bought some samosas with the dipping sauces that come with it, a cup of mango lassi, and a container of jalebi (a type of sweet) because she knows I love it.  We shared the samosas and the mango lassi; the jalebi is all mine because my daughter finds it to be too sweet! 

I was in the garden, taking some photos on Saturday afternoon, after daughter had left to go on her hike, when the phone rang.  It was neighbor T's daughter calling from next door!  She and T were at the house to pick up a few things and would I like to come over to say hi to T; they'd love to see me!  Of course I said yes!  I put on my mask, took a few mandarins from the fridge and put them into a blue and white china bowl that I had set aside to give away, and went over to visit.  T was seated at the dining table and it was lovely to see her again.  She looked quite well but her daughter explained that they had decided that T will live at the assisted living center for the foreseeable future as she was unable to live on her own without assistance.  They had stopped by the house to pick up a few more items to take back to T's room at the assisted living center.

They are not sure yet what they will do with the house, whether to rent it or sell it.  They are also not sure what they will do with the contents of the house - T has lived there for nearly 50 years and while she probably has fewer items than I do, there's still nearly 50 years worth of belongings to sort through.  Her daughter said they will probably store the contents of the house in a storage unit while they decide what to do.  She said T will not have enough space in her room at the Center for everything (and probably will have no need for things like china, etc.) and there's no room in her own apartment for anything.  She also doubted if her brother, who lives in a different state, will want much, either.  

They did, however, admire the blue and white bowl I put the mandarins in and asked me if I wanted the bowl back.  I said I didn't want to add to their possessions they were having to dispose of, but, I really didn't want it back; they were welcome to keep it or pass it along.  They remarked on the fact that the bowl matched the vase I had given T with some flowers, earlier, and I explained how I used to collect blue and white china and how I was now trying to declutter some of my stuff, myself.  T's daughter said they would love to keep the bowl, that they could always find a use for a bowl, but, if they ever have a yard sale to dispose of some of T's household items, I was welcome to bring some of my items and participate!  I thanked her.  My cousin P (who used to live across the street from me, who has since moved to Florida) and I used to hold joint yard sales many years ago; we never made much money, but, we had fun!  

I didn't stay long, visiting T and her daughter, but, I promised to visit T at the assisted living center, one day.  I felt a little sad to think that T will no longer be able to live in her own home.  I hope if they rent or sell the house, whoever moves in will be good neighbors!

Afterwards, I finished sorting out the shelving unit in the dining area.   I had posted about these shelves earlier, too, back in February 2020.  Gradually, these shelves became easily accessible space to store items and this is how it looked earlier in the week:

Before

The decorative items got pushed aside, food items took up shelf space at the top; the lower cabinet continued to be used to store table linen, kitchen towels, place mats, hot pads, etc.

After

I found room for most of the food items in the pantry cabinets.  But the middle shelf still has jars of peach jam/sauce and a big Tupperware container holding a 5 lb. bag of lentils! I will have to reorganize several kitchen cabinets to find room for them. The other two containers stacked on top of the Tupperware container will go back with my daughter.  I sorted through the table linen and kitchen towels, etc., too, but, didn't declutter anything.

Daughter and I spent a relaxed evening.  Daughter and I had leftover hamburgers for brunch; I didn't cook the meal I had planned to make for dinner and we had samosas and leftovers, instead.

On Sunday, I changed the dust sheets on the family room sofas and did a load of laundry.  Much later in the evening, I ran the dishwasher.  I had a ham sandwich for breakfast and later, daughter and I had some soup for a late lunch.  Dinner was leftovers, again - rice, keema curry, cucumber salad, and peach chutney.  It was a low energy day for me so I took it easy.  The oncologist's office called to confirm the appointment for later in the week (it's an automated call and you press numbers to confirm you are able to keep the appointment or not).

This weekend, I was grateful for:

- Daughter was able to enjoy a hike with friends
- Indian treats to share
- An unexpected visit with neighbor T and her daughter
- Working appliances
- Phone calls and emails from friends

This weekend's joyful activities included visiting with neighbor T and her daughter.

Monday's To Do List:
- Dust the living room and dining room
- Change the bed sheets
- Load of laundry
- Clean the fridge
- Take the trash cans to the end of the driveway
- Maybe water the front garden?

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

 

The Best Laid Schemes of Bless and Water Barrels

Oops!

So, I had set up the old trash bin (bought 30+ years ago, when I first bought this house, because, at the time, there were no city issued trash bins), in the side yard the other day, to collect whatever rain water it could.  When I checked it, yesterday (Monday), I noticed that it had a few inches of water in the bottom and felt quite pleased.  Then, I dragged it from there to the cemented area under the patio overhang to fill it up with the water I had collected in the buckets.  I dumped in the water that I had collected in the big blue and white vase with the chipped top, first.  And then I noticed that there was water flowing down the cemented area.  At first, I thought that maybe I spilled some water when I was pouring it in, and pulled the bin away a bit, but, no, the water was still dribbling out from the bottom of the trash can! 

Well, that didn't work, did it?

 All together now:

"There's a hole in the bucket trash bin, dear Liza Bless, dear Liza Bless
  There's a hole in the bucket trash bin, dear Liza Bless, a hole!"

I don't know if the hole was already there (if so, I didn't notice it) or if the bottom of the bin scraped against a stone or something when I dragged it over and that wore a hole in it.  This morning, I looked inside and there's a fine layer of dried up sediment at the bottom of the bin and no visible hole.  But, obviously, I can't use this bin to collect any rainwater!  

I covered three of the buckets that were full and found another bucket I had stored in the garage and emptied out some water from each of the other buckets into it, so that they are all partially filled with water.  This way, if it rains on Thursday according to the forecast, then, the partially filled buckets can get topped up with more rain water and I will cover them to keep mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.  At least, that's the plan and we all know how plans go, don't we?  LOL!

Yesterday was mostly dry (there was a little drizzle in the early morning, friend R told me, but, I guess I was still asleep when that happened) but very cloudy and grey.  Around 4:00 p.m., however, the clouds parted and there was some sunshine.  

My daughter had the day off from work, so I was able to vacuum the family room and my bedroom without worrying about disturbing her.  Later in the evening, after dinner, I ran the dishwasher.  That was all the housework I did, though.

We had leftovers for brunch (I had the last coconut roti and some pork curry; daughter had some of the leftover ham and pasta casserole).  Dinner was chicken curry (from the freezer), leftover rice, cucumber salad, and peach chutney.  Snacks included almonds (me), potato chips (me), cereal (daughter), apple (both of us).

Today (Tuesday), has been a sunny day!  A bit windy and a high of 57F.  I brought in the emptied trash cans, took the kitchen composting out to the yard, checked on the plants, emptied the dishwasher, dusted my bedroom, and handwashed one of my wool sweaters (it is now laid out flat on a towel near the heater to dry). 

This week's cleaning area is the dining room, which, in my house, is an extension of the living room and leads to the family room.  I usually dust and vacuum it when I do the living room, so, the only cleaning that needs to be done in this area this time around is the shelving unit where I store some of the table linen in the lower cupboard and some decorative items on the upper shelves, along with my cookbooks. More recently, I've been using the upper shelves to hold pantry items, which is fine, but I didn't remove the decorative items first, so everything is mixed together.  I need to tidy it (and decide if I want to continue to store the pantry items mixed in with the decorative items or make it one or the other).

The box of file folders I ordered was delivered today, as well as a bag of Epsom salt for the garden and one of the boxes of kitty litter; the second box of kitty litter was damaged in shipment, apparently, and was returned to the manufacturer and the money will be refunded.  I will need to reorder a second box of the litter, later.  I think the boxes being damaged in shipping was one of the reasons we switched to the buckets!

For brunch, today, I ate a scrambled egg and a slice of toast.  Much later, daughter ate bread sandwiched with the last of the pork curry and the rest of the cucumber salad.  For dinner, I cooked dhal (lentils), green beans curry, and a fresh pot of rice, and we ate them with leftover chicken curry and peach chutney.  Daughter was very happy and thanked me for "a home cooked yummy Sri Lankan meal"; she loves her rice and curries!

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny day
- Being able to order items online and having them delivered to the house
- Daughter being here to help with carrying in the heavy box of litter
- Dancer seems to have perked up, again
- Daughter truly enjoying the meal I prepared

Today's joyful activity was enjoying the garden on a sunny day.

Plans for tomorrow include tending to the garden with M in the morning.  

Daughter has several back to back meetings, tomorrow, so I will do some quiet work - maybe tidy my desk!  

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

Mid-Month, Already?

Paperwhites

It was a cloudy day. today, with a break in the rain for a good part of the day.  It started raining in the evening.

My rain water buckets are full!  I pulled out the old trash cans and set one up to collect more rain water.  The second trash can had a crack at the very bottom, so, I left it where it was, turned upside down.  I should have emptied the smaller buckets of water into the big trash can, but, the buckets were too heavy for me to lift and I was too lazy to dip out the water with a small bowl or container.  Maybe I can do that, tomorrow.  

Today, was a productive day!

I finished tidying and dusting the family room (and didn't drop or break anything!)  I was going to vacuum the family room, but, my daughter was on a zoom call with two of her friends and although she said it wouldn't disturb her, I didn't want to be making a big noise in the background, and I didn't feel like vacuuming after she got off the call!  Instead, I cleaned my bathroom (and then, Dancer, who seems to be a bit off, had an accident, and I had to clean the floor, again!)

I also reorganized the three drawers of the sideboard where the gift wrap, gift bags, etc., are stored; it had got a bit messy when I was pulling out tissue paper, gift bags, etc., during the holidays.  I had a big, rather battered looking gift box in which I had stored several rolls of Christmas ribbons, bought on sale for $0.10 per roll, back in the 1990s, when Woolworths was going out of business!  I believe I bought 20 rolls for $2,00!  I've been using those ribbons ever since!  The box had been from a department store that is no longer in business and there was a small label on the box in my mother's handwriting, identifying it as containing Christmas ribbons (Mother died in 2006).  Today, I managed to fit all the ribbons into a much smaller box, and it fits nicely in the drawer with the Christmas gift bags, etc.  I recycled the old, big gift box the ribbons had been stored in.

I also decluttered a shoe box sized plastic storage box that had held odds and ends in the garage.  The box was cracked, so I tossed it.

I had been flattening and recycling several cardboard boxes that arrived during the holidays, either with gifts I ordered online or with gifts others had sent to me.  They had been stacked in the family room instead of being recycled right away because I have a thing about holding onto cardboard boxes (I always think I can reuse them for storage, etc.)  Today, I decluttered another small cardboard box.

I also went through two file folders of old telephone/cell phone and TV/internet bill statements, each holding three years worth of statements (2020, 2021, and 2022), and shredded them!  My shredder got a good work out!  I gathered four brown grocery sacks of shredded paper and spread them all on some of the planting beds in the back yard.  They will act as mulch and, hopefully, keep down at least some of the weeds that will surely pop up after the rains!  In addition, I recycled several brochures and one magazine.  My recycling bin is quite full!  

Daughter and I had leftover pizza for brunch.  For dinner, I made a ham and egg noodles casserole:

Ham and Egg Noodles Casserole

I boiled about half of a bag of egg noodles, mixed them with a can of cream of celery soup (and about half a can of water), some leftover ham from New Year's Day dinner, diced, and a handful of frozen green peas (whatever was left in the bag).  I put it all into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish, sprinkled some garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, a few red chili flakes, ground black pepper, and two of the individual packets of grated Romano cheese that came with our dinner from the Italian restaurant, earlier this month.  I baked it, covered with foil, in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes and then, uncovered for another 10 minutes, just to brown the top a little bit.  Daughter and I enjoyed some of it for our dinner and there's more than half the pan leftover for another day.

Today, I am grateful for:

- All the rain water I've managed to collect in my buckets!
- Phone calls with family (cousin P and her daughter) and friends (R); emails with other friends
- My paper shredder
- Shredded paper mulch for the garden
- All the cleaning, decluttering, and organizing I accomplished

Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden, just checking on the plants and taking some badly out of focus photos!  LOL.  Reorganizing the sideboard drawers was also a joyful activity!  

Tomorrow is a holiday for my daughter (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).  We don't have any special plans for the day, but, I hope to vacuum the family room and maybe my bedroom, too.  Earlier forecasts said it will rain tomorrow, but, now the forecast is for a partly cloudy day.

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

Rainy Monday and a Tentative Meal Plan

Osteospermum

It started raining around midnight, last night and it drizzled practically all day.  In the evening, however, around 5:00 p.m., it started raining in earnest, with lightning and thunder!  I was watching the evening news and it was interrupted with a flood watch alert.  Fortunately, not in my area, although I am expecting some rain to get into the garage, as the side door has got warped from the rain and will not close properly!  

Daughter's office sent out an email notification to all saying that the office building is closed for the day due to a power outage.  Her apartment building still has power, though, which is good because she has food in her fridge and freezer.  But, of course, she was working remotely, from home, down here and we had power,

Yesterday, I had dusted most of the living room after I took down the Christmas decorations.  Today, I dusted the one piece of living room furniture I didn't dust yesterday, the bookcase.  Then, I dusted the windowsills and washed the windows from the inside.  The rain was washing them from the outside!  I also washed the inside of the front door.  Then I polished two brass wall decorations.  Finally, I vacuumed the living room, dining area, kitchen, and the hallway.  I also did a load of laundry (bathroom rugs, kitchen rug, Dancer's rug, etc.).  The living room cleaning is mostly completed; I just have to polish one more brass decorative item and then put them all back in place.

Later, I emptied all the waste baskets inside the house and took the trash can to the end of the driveway for pick up in the morning.  

Brunch had been the last croissant, sandwiched with a slice of ham and lettuce (me) and a toasted bagel with butter (daughter).  Dinner was rice, leftover salmon, freshly made cucumber salad, and peach chutney.  Cut up fresh mango for dessert, followed by a piece of love cake.  

After dinner, I chatted with friend R and neighbor T and swept the bathroom.  It was a productive day and I'm happy with what I was able to accomplish today.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter is able to work from home
- Rain for the garden
- Raincoats (mine's rather old, bought back in late 1990s, but, it's still effective)
- A good roof that keeps the rain out
- A productive day

Today's joyful activity was cleaning the living room - it really brought me joy to be able to get the room dusted and vacuumed and the windows and door washed.  

Tentative meal plan for this week's dinners:

Monday: Leftover salmon with freshly cooked rice, cucumber salad, and peach chutney; mango and love cake for dessert

Tuesday: Teriyaki chicken drumsticks with rice, snow peas and carrots stir fry; mandarins for dessert

Wednesday: Rice with curried chick peas/garbanzo beans, spicy sauteed potatoes, and green beans; cucumber salad; mango and love cake for dessert

Thursday: Leftovers (if any); boxed mac & cheese with tuna, if not; mandarins for dessert (there will probably be cake, too).

Friday: Pot stickers/gyoza; maybe ramen noodles; fruit salad for dessert

Saturday: Ham or turkey tetrazzini with green peas; home canned peaches for dessert

Sunday: Beef stew or beef pot pies if I feel ambitious enough to make pastry; or maybe top with mashed potatoes, instead.  Ice cream for dessert.

Whether I follow the plan will depend on how energetic I feel when it comes to cooking.  But, the chicken drumsticks have been taken out to thaw, so tomorrow's dinner will probably go according to the plan!  LOL.

How was your Monday?  What's on your meal plan for the week?

The Weekend

"No, don't put away Christmas!"

I've had a productive weekend.  

On Saturday, I picked up the groceries and later in the afternoon, I took down the wreaths and put them away in the bin in the garage, along with a few other decorations.

Brunch had been croissants, sandwiched with ham.  For dinner, I cooked Italian sausages with bell peppers, a side dish of green beans with garlic, and a side dish of fried potatoes.  Afterwards, I ran the dishwasher.  

Sunday got off to a late start.  I had not been able to sleep, Saturday night, until past 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning!  I was having acid reflux and it took some time for the antacid tablets to work.  I woke up once around 11:00 a.m., fed the cats, etc., but, went back to bed and slept for another three hours!  It was 2:00 p.m. when I woke up!  

But, once I was up, I was productive.  I took the Winter Village down and packed it up in its bin.  Daughter took the bin with the Winter Village and the bin with the tree decorations to the garage for me.  Then, I began to pack away the holiday cushion covers, table linen, crocheted blanket, etc., which I store in a suitcase in my closet.  As you can see, Dancer was not very happy about it!  Usually, I am reluctant to take the decorations down as it makes me feel sad.  But, this year, I was very ready to take them down and tidy up the place!  Afterwards, I dusted the living room and put back the photographs and other items that I display on the mantel piece.  

In between, I chatted with neighbor T and with friend R.  I also called neighbor S to offer her some of the love cake we had made, but, she declined the offer saying she's trying to cut back on the sweets after indulging at Christmas.  It's probably what I should do, too! 

Daughter had croissant sandwiches for brunch and I had the last serving of the soup I had bought from the Italian restaurant.  For dinner, I cooked some of the frozen salmon I had bought back in July, 2022.  This was the first time I cooked it and my daughter and I thought it was quite good.  I sauteed the salmon fillets with onions and some canned diced tomatoes.  I made a cucumber salad to go with the salmon and we had it with leftover rice and peach chutney.  There are two more pieces of the salmon leftover for tomorrow.  

After dinner, I washed the dishes, cleared the kitchen counters, and did the litter box.  

This weekend, I was grateful for:
- Being able to order groceries online and pick up curbside
- Phone calls with family and friends
- A chance to dry out before the next band of rain arrives on Monday
- Daughter helping with taking the Christmas decorations bins to the garage
- Having a productive weekend

This weekend's joyful activities included chatting with cousin P and her daughter, and spending a little extra time with daughter as she didn't have to fly back up, on Sunday.

Plans for Monday include doing some paperwork, tidying the family room, and vacuuming.

By the way, if anyone is interested, Monday is the start of another 8-week cleaning cycle, where we take one room or area each week until the whole house is done.  Here is the 8-week cleaning cycle I am following:

Week 1 - Entryway and Living Room
Week 2 - Dining Room and Laundry Room
Week 3 - Bathrooms and Front Porch
Week 4 - Kitchen and Back Porch
Week 5 - Children's/Guest Rooms and Closets
Week 6 - Family Room and Room of Choice
Week 7 - Master Bedroom and Closet

Week 8 - All House Clean 

Since I don't have an entryway, I will concentrate on the living room.  

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

December Days

Euryops Flower

The weekend went by too quickly for me!  On Saturday, I decided to have what I called a "Do Nothing" Day!  It was a sunny, relatively warm (a high of 70F) day and I slept in, stayed in my baggy old sweat suit, and relaxed!  Much later in the evening, however, I swept the bathroom, cleaned the litter box, and did a load of laundry.  I had leftovers for both brunch and dinner.

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- A sunny day after Friday's rain
- Being able to have a relaxing day
- Online videos to watch
- Exchanging emails with friends
- Working appliances

My joyful activity was writing an email to wish a long time friend a happy birthday.

I made up for Saturday's indolence on Sunday!  I dusted the living room, dining area, and part of the family room; cleared the family room coffee table (there weren't a lot of stuff on it, but, I put away the few items that were on it and wiped the glass table top with a damp cloth), cleared the big dining table, too (the triangles quilt I'm repairing was piled on the table, along with my rotary cutter and some pieces of fabric; I decided the quilt didn't have to be out when I am not actively sewing on it, folded it up and put it in a basket), took care of a small pile of mail, changed the dust sheets on the family room sofas, did a load of laundry, put away a couple of loads of laundry that had been done earlier, and did the dishes.

I also rearranged my closet a bit, when I was putting away the laundry.  I normally hang my blouses arranged from sleeveless and short sleeved to long sleeved; this time, I reversed the order so that the long sleeved blouses are in the front, as I am more likely to wear them now that it is getting cold.  I didn't declutter anything, though.

I made pancakes for brunch and had them with bacon and peach topping.  Dinner was leftover macaroni and cheese with chicken curry!  Yes, I know, it sounds weird, but, it's one of my favorite combinations! 

We had a little light rain on Sunday morning and it was still drizzling a little bit when I went outside.  The plants are enjoying the rain, as you can see.

Euryops Bush in Flower

 On Sunday, I was grateful for:
- More rain for the garden
- A productive day
- Working appliances
- Peach topping providing a taste of summer's peach harvest
- Daughter had a fun day with friends

My joyful activity was crocheting (a friend's daughter is expecting her first baby and I'm making a blanket)

Which brings us to Monday!  It has been another mostly sunny day.  I put away the laundry I did yesterday, mended one garment, paid some bills including my homeowner's insurance and earthquake insurance, cleaned the bathroom and the litter box, cleaned the fridge, and took the trash cans to the end of the driveway.  I had leftover pancakes for brunch and leftover rice, chicken curry, and dhal for dinner.

On Sunday, I realized that it was 3 weeks till Christmas and I had not done anything!  I had looked over last year's gift list last week and had made this year's list, but, I haven't made or bought any gifts!  Nor have I made or bought any cards to send!  I have the card list from last year and I will probably send cards to the same people, with maybe one or two changes.   So, today, I sat down to make some cards.  But, what I made was a huge big mess on the newly cleared dining table!  

Making More of a Mess than Cards!

I can't even blame Dancer for the mess since he is no longer able to jump up onto the table!  But, I did clean it up after I stopped for the day:

Cleared Table (with cardmaking stuff piled at one end)

The orange item in the fruit basket is the persimmon M gave,
still waiting to get ripe enough to eat!

Although I made such a big mess, I only made a couple of cards!  LOL!  I did get my card to my half-brother in Sri Lanka written and addressed; it is now in the mailbox waiting to be picked up by the letter carrier - hopefully, my brother will receive the card on or around New Year's Day.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Another sunny day
- Being able to pay bills online

- Being able to make a mess without worrying too much about it
- Chatting with my daughter
- Forever stamps - I am using up my stash from years past!

Today's joyful activities included crocheting and card-making.

By the way, our Covid case numbers for Los Angeles County are going up; it was 3,270 on Saturday, 5,106 on Sunday, and Monday's was 10,089, with a testing positivity rate of 12.67%.  I guess this is the post Thanksgiving surge.  

Monday's Sunset

Plans for Tuesday:

- Bring the trash cans in
- Make a few more cards

- Meal plan/prep

How are you coming along with your holiday preparations?  Have you bought or made your cards and gifts? 

More Productivity on Saturday

 

November Rose

Another sunny day with an afternoon high of 73F.

It's been a good day, today.  A friend of mine called in the morning and we chatted for a bit.  Later, I called friend R and spoke with her.  

M got delayed at the dentist's office, but he eventually showed up around noon and tended to the garden.  He brought me a persimmon someone had picked from their tree and given him and he brought me a cutting of a sedum which he potted up so it could root.  We transplanted my apple seedling  and pineapple plant to bigger pots and cut back one of the oleander bushes.  I offered him a bowl of soup, but, he had another garden or two to do and was running behind schedule, so didn't want to take the time to stop for soup.  Nor did he want it sitting in his truck all afternoon until he got home in the evening.  

After M left, I did the rest of the vacuuming.  Then, I did the last bit of paperwork that I had planned to do, cleared the files from the dining table. and put my autumn leaves table cloth on the dining table.  After that, I tidied the family room and dusted it.  Tomorrow, I plan to wash the sofa dust sheets.

Then, I put together a grocery order, but, I haven't finalized it yet.  I want to discuss the order with my daughter, first, when we video chat tonight, as there might be one or two things she might want (besides half and half for her coffee!)

Brunch had been coconut roti with some of the corned beef mixture I had made; dinner was rice and the made over chicken stir-fry.  Grapes and a piece of brownie for dessert.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Another sunny day and warm afternoon
- M tending to the garden and sharing a sedum cutting with me
- Roses in November
- Phone calls and emails from friends
- What I was able to accomplish 

Today's joyful activity was gardening with M.

Plans for tomorrow include picking up the groceries, washing the sofa dust sheets, remaking my daughter's bed with fresh sheets, and tidying my bedroom, especially the desk and the top of the dresser ("Hi, my name is Bless and I can't keep horizontal surfaces cleared.")  

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?  How do you keep your table tops, counters, etc., free of clutter?

Productive Friday, Too

Blurry Blueberry Leaves

I was trying to get a photo of the sprig of red blueberry leaves, but, I couldn't quite focus on it (probably held the phone too close).  But, it was either a blurry photo or no photo and since I already did a photo-less post this week, I decided to go with the blurry photo!  LOL!

Today, I confirmed my appointment with the eye doctor (scheduled for Tuesday, late morning).  Then, I did a load of laundry and some vacuuming.  If I lived in a two story house with the living room, etc., downstairs and the bedrooms upstairs, I' be able to say that I vacuumed the downstairs and left the upstairs for tomorrow.  But, since I live in a one story house, I will say that I vacuumed all but the bedrooms!  I wanted to do the bedrooms, too (at least my room), but, I ran out of energy!   Probably because it was mid-afternoon by then and I hadn't eaten anything (other than a cup of tea in the morning).  So, I had a corned beef sandwich and watched some videos.

Gardener M was scheduled to come by and tend to the garden, this evening, but, he texted me saying he's running behind and could he tend to my garden tomorrow morning, instead?  I said, yes, not a problem.  Then, I locked the gate that I had unlocked earlier, anticipating his arrival.  

I spent a good portion of the evening sorting through paperwork and filing!  I have a horrible tendency to go through the mail as it comes in, pull out the bills to be paid, etc., and just toss the rest of the mail aside to be dealt with later.  Except, later can often be several weeks later!  Then, I end up with small piles of paper which become bigger piles of paper and then, I feel guilty if I start a craft project or something fun because there's paperwork to be dealt with!

Most of it is filing - notifications, statements, etc.  In the past couple of months, I've been inundated with elections-related material and with health-insurance related material (it's open enrollment period for both my health insurance through my retirement system and for Medicare) as well as the regular bank statements, etc.  I got rid of most of the elections-related items as soon as I voted on November 7 and today, I tossed most of the health-insurance related papers.  I still have a small stack of papers to deal with in a basket, but they are mostly current items - this week's grocery ads, for example, which I will toss once I order the groceries; some grocery coupons and fast food coupons which I will toss if I don't use them, the fabric store's add for Black Friday deals and coupons, etc. (not that I am likely to go shopping at the fabric store, this year, but, there was a sale on something my daughter had expressed an interest in buying, so I'll keep it for her to see; at least, that's my excuse for keeping that particular piece of paper!  LOL!)

I de-fatted the soup I had made earlier and had a bowl of soup for my dinner, followed by a brownie for dessert!  I had frozen the remaining brownies and warmed one up in the microwave for a few seconds and it was delicious!  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Another productive day
- Working appliances
- Online videos
- Chats with family and friends
- Hot water on tap

Today's joyful activity was making a dent in the paperwork! 

Plans for tomorrow include:

- M tending to the garden
- Vacuuming the bedrooms

- Ordering groceries
- Doing the last bit of paperwork/filing

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

Productive Thursday

Another sunny day with an afternoon high of 74F; I'm not complaining!  The nights are in the low to mid 40s (tonight's low will be 46F according to the forecast), but, the daytime highs are nice.

I had a productive day, today, and got several things crossed off my to do list!

I did the home lab test, filled out the required forms, and put it all in the mail box to be collected;
Called the doctor's office about the outstanding lab test and left a message (didn't get a call back)
Called and scheduled a mammogram and ultrasound:
Scheduled the next oncology blood test;
Did a load of laundry (bathroom/kitchen rugs);
Did a Random Act of Cleaning and wiped down the washing machine, under the lid, etc. (it's a top loader);
Swept & mopped the kitchen;
Cleaned the bathroom;
Started on the paperwork I've been procrastinating doing

Later in the evening, I called and chatted with friend R and video chatted with my daughter. 

Brunch had been French toast; for dinner, I "made over" the leftover Thai chicken from my birthday lunch, adding carrots and asparagus tips to it and had it with freshly cooked rice.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Sunny days and warm afternoons
- Working appliances
- A productive day
- Phone calls and video chats
- Exchanging emails with friends

Today's joyful activity was crossing off a few items from my To Do List!

Plans for tomorrow include:

- More paperwork/filing
- Continuing with the freezer inventory
- Tending to the garden with M

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

Ending October

Prompt: Farm
("Halloween Farm")

First of all, I did not get my Covid booster, today!  I called the pharmacy to double check they were still doing the walk-in Covid boosters and I was told yes, but, could I please come in on Wednesday, instead.  Apparently, they were short staffed, today, and were very busy.  I decided I will go in on Wednesday.  

Which gave me a free day to...clean!  I was in a cleaning mood!  I dusted the main rooms and started cleaning the kitchen.  I did the stove top and under the burners, the outside of the oven door (the inside requires some serious cleaning, but that's for another day!), the top of the vent hood, the counters, the lower cabinet doors and drawer fronts, and the sink.  I did it in stages because I didn't want my hands cramping up on me, but, my hands were fine and didn't cramp.  I also cleaned the litter box and swept my bathroom, and took two of the trash bins (the black garbage bin and the green yard waste bin; the blue recycling bin only had a few items in it and didn't need to be emptied)  to the end of the driveway.

I spoke with neighbor T in the early afternoon; she said she's feeling well, but, she'll be at the assisted living facility a little longer than she initially thought.  Later, in the evening, I called friend R to check on her.  

Brunch had been leftover waffles with seeni sambol (spicy onion relish).  Dinner was leftover rice and ground turkey keema curry with peach chutney.  Which reminds me, I need to do a meal plan for this week, don't I?  

It was a warm (high of 80F) day, today, but, partly cloudy.  The house remained somewhat cool, but, I didn't have to go outside to warm myself up!  Every time I started feeling cold, I did some cleaning, and that kept me warm!  LOL!  

Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to get some cleaning done!
- My hands didn't cramp!
- Chatting with friends and neighbors
- What I was able to accomplish
- Ending the month on a positive note

Today's joyful activity was...cleaning!  Yes!  Really!  

Plans for tomorrow - there is a ballot that needs to be filled out!

Productive Thursday

Prompt: Snacks
("Panda Cookies and Donuts")

I set my alarm for 9:00 a.m., today, although the plumber was not scheduled to arrive until after 12:00 noon.  I stayed in bed for another 30 minutes or so after the alarm went off, then got up and got going.  After my morning cup of tea and prayers, etc., I did the vacuuming I had been planning to do all week!  Then, tidied up the family room.  I didn't put everything away, but, sorted the paperwork and tidied up the sewing supplies.  Then, I scrubbed my toilet (a task I usually do on Fridays, but, I wanted the bathrooms clean before the plumber arrived!)  I cleaned Dancer's litter box, too, and mopped the bathroom floor (I knew the plumber would probably mess it up, but, I wanted it to be clean when he arrived and he cleaned up after himself before he left!)  

I took a short break and then, tidied the kitchen a bit (Thursday's task) and emptied the dishwasher.  I had cut the thumb on my right hand on a can that I was rinsing out before putting it in the recycling bin, yesterday; it wasn't a very deep cut, but it was about half an inch long.  I had put a plaster/bandaid on it and it was healing, but it hampered me a bit as I did my housework.  However, I got most of the housekeeping tasks I had set for myself for this week done!  I had to tell myself that it didn't have to be done perfectly!  

The plumbing company called me around 12:30 p.m. to say that the plumber was on his way.  He was here a few minutes later.  I wore my N95 mask; he wasn't wearing a mask.  I didn't insist that he wore a mask because I knew that it is hard to do jobs like plumbing with a mask on.  But, I had opened the windows and the front door (the metal security door was closed because I didn't want Dancer to run out, but, it has open mesh which allows air flow) and I felt there was enough ventilation in the house.  The plumber who was here, last year, wore a mask, but, we were still under a mask mandate then.  This is one of the main reasons why I am dragging my feet on having workmen in the house, unless I absolutely have to!

Anyway, he was a pleasant young man named George.  He cleared the clog in the bathtub (showed me the clump of hair he pulled out), replaced the flapper in my toilet so it wouldn't leak anymore, changed the faucets in both bathtubs (they both have overhead showers) because both faucets were leaking when the shower was turned on, and fixed the broken knob/handle in the sink in daughter's bathroom.  He also mentioned that I might need to replace the knob/handle in the tub/shower in her bathroom sometime in the future, but, not right now.  When it was time to pay, I told him to give me a discount since I was a repeat customer and he said he'll mention it to the company, but, it was not up to him.  I paid $225.75 for parts and labor, which I thought was reasonable.  I'm glad that I managed to get the plumbing maintenance projects crossed off my list.

After he left, I boiled more pasta and had it with some of the sausage mixture for my brunch.  Then, I went outside to walk a bit.  I only walked for a few minutes because I was feeling a bit tired, but, I sat on the low stone wall between my driveway and T's front yard and enjoyed the warmth of the sun for about 10-15 minutes.  I was inspecting the plants in the front yard a few minutes later, when the letter carrier delivered the mail.  I thanked him and he said they were all ads, but, I said as long as they are not bills it's fine with me and he laughed.  Then, I took the mail and went inside; he was right, they were all political ads for the upcoming mid-term elections.  

I took it easy in the evening.  I started the car, watched the news, had a cup of tea, reheated a frozen burrito for dinner, had a piece of mango for dessert, did today's dishes, chatted with friend R, and video chatted with my daughter.  She had gone into the office, today, and then, gone out to lunch.     

Today, I'm grateful for:
- Plumbers!
- Getting the plumbing issues taken care of 
- Sunny, warm afternoon
- Daily mail deliveries (except on Sundays)
- Accomplishing most of my housekeeping tasks

Today's joyful activity was getting the plumbing tasks crossed off my to do list!

Plans for tomorrow include the regular check up with the oncology nurse practitioner in the early afternoon and tending to the garden in the evening with M.  

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

Wednesday

Definitely Sweater Weather!

It was almost 61F in the family room at 11:00 a.m., this morning!  Yes, I was wearing a sweater over a blouse, and I went outside, where it was 73F, and walked for 10 minutes to warm up!  Today's afternoon high was 75F and I sat outside for a few minutes as it was warmer outside than in!  Eventually, the house warmed up to 68F!

Dancer had a good night and I didn't find any throw up when I woke up and he hasn't had any issues during the day, today, either.  He spends a lot of his time sleeping, but, that's normal for cats, isn't it?

Today, in the morning, I payed my gas bill and scheduled a safety check for the furnace/heater.  The earliest they had available for such a non-emergency/routine service was on Monday, November 7th, which is reasonable, I think.  

M was here to tend to the garden, today.  As usual, we spent a few minutes just chatting before he started on the garden and I mentioned that I am having the plumber come out, tomorrow, to tend to the bathroom sink faucet, to see why the water flow suddenly stopped.  He asked me if the faucet had an aerator and if I had checked it for debris.  Yes, it has an aerator and I had wondered if it was blocked, but, I couldn't turn in although I had tried.  He asked if he could take a look at it, opened it with the help of a pair of pliers and yes, the mesh inside the aerator was clogged!  He cleaned it and put it back and we have flowing water, again!  Woo hoo!  Nothing was wrong with the faucet, itself!  I'll still have the plumber come out because there are the other issues with the slow draining tub and the faulty diverter in the shower, etc.  They are inconveniences I have been putting up with and tolerating and if you were to look around my house, you'd see that I am very good at tolerating inconveniences! 

In the afternoon, I cleaned my daughter's bathroom (the slow draining tub is in there).  Since my daughter is not at home right now, no one is using this bathroom and I haven't been cleaning it weekly.  Well, the bathmats I had in there had a rubber backing and during the hot summer, the rubber backing had melted and glued itself to the ceramic tiles on the floor!  When I pulled the mats up to wash them, parts of the rubber backing remained stuck to the floor.  I tried to vacuum it up, but, it didn't do anything.  I tried to mop it, but, it didn't do much, either.  I took a brush and scrubbed at it and that helped a bit.  Finally, I took a big kitchen knife and scraped the stuff off and used a piece of melamine foam ("Magic Eraser") as well!  All that scrubbing and scraping warmed me up and I even removed the sweater I had been wearing!  LOL.  It also tired me out!  I was too tired to do the vacuuming I was planning to do!

I rested after that and watched the evening news.  Then, I had to put my sweater back on because once I had stopped scrubbing, I got cold, again!  And I had a mug of hot cocoa instead of my usual evening cup of tea.

Later, I ran the dishwasher and washed a few items that can't go in the dishwasher by hand.  There weren't a lot of dishes to put in the dishwasher, but, I haven't run it for at least a couple of weeks and I had been told I should run it at least once a week to keep the hoses flexible!  I thought I'd better run it tonight; that way, if there was a problem, the plumber will be here tomorrow, anyway!  LOL! Fortunately, the dishwasher worked well!  

Brunch had been the leftover slice of pizza from yesterday and apple slices.  Dinner was leftover pasta from last night and a piece of the moon cake for dessert.  I will probably have something for a snack before I go to sleep, though.  

Today, I am grateful for:
- M fixing the faucet for me as well as tending to the garden
- I was able to schedule a safety check for the furnace within a reasonable waiting period
- Warm wool sweaters!
- Sunny days (according to the weather forecast, November will be mostly cloudy and cool)
- Video chatting with my daughter

Today's joyful activity was chatting with M and sitting outside to enjoy the warmer temperature!

Wednesday's Prompt: Ego
("An egotistic pose.  Not based on any particular anime character.")

Plans for tomorrow include the plumber's visit, vacuuming, and doing some tidying around the house.

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

Sunny Sunday

Prompt: Booger
"Cubchoo - a Pokemon"

I stayed up till nearly 5:00 a.m. with Dancer, because I was worried that he might get sick in the night and I would sleep through it.  Something like that happened with a previous cat that we had and I woke up the next morning to find that she had passed away during the night.  Well, Dancer was fine and I went to bed; he woke me up at 10:00 a.m. and I discovered that he had thrown up once, earlier in the morning, but, I hadn't heard him.  He has been eating and drinking water and using the litter box and hasn't thrown up since then, so I guess he's on the mend, although he is still a bit subdued.  At least the vet's clinic is open during the week, so I can always call and take him in, if needed.

Today, something happened to my bathroom sink faucet - I opened it once when I was brushing my teeth in the morning (to wet the toothbrush) and the water flowed without any problem, then I closed it while I brushed my teeth (I don't keep the water running while I brush my teeth).  Opened it again to rinse my mouth and...no water!  Just a dribble!  There was water in the faucets in the other bathroom and the kitchen, though!  I guess something inside the faucet broke?  Or, came loose and is blocking the flow of water?  I guess I will be calling the plumber, tomorrow!  I'll also ask him to take a look at the slow draining bathtub in the other bathroom; I've poured baking soda and vinegar down it several times and even some bleach, chased with boiling water with limited success - I think it needs to be snaked, again!  

It was a sunny day, today, with a daytime high of 75F.  It was warmer outside than inside, so, I opened a couple of windows to get that warm air in!  I put away the laundry from yesterday, did another load of laundry (Dancer's rug, kitchen rug, bathroom mats, etc.), swept the kitchen and my bathroom, cleaned the litter box, called former neighbor T to check on her (she's still in the assisted living facility and she fell again, today, but, didn't hurt herself), called friend R to chat with her, and watched some online videos.  Later, I video chatted with my daughter; she is feeling fine, again.  

Brunch was a frozen burrito, warmed up in the microwave.   Dinner was chicken curry from the freezer, with some of the lavash bread that S had given me, earlier.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter is feeling well
- Dancer seems to be recovering
- There are other working faucets in the house
- Working appliances
- Keeping in touch with friends and family

Today's joyful activity was video chatting with my daughter.

Monday's To Do List:

- Call the plumber
- Vacuum
- Clean the fridge
- Take the trash cans out (and leave in front of the driveway!)
- Paperwork
- Meal plan/meal prep

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

Thursday the Thirteenth

Prompt: Kind
"Conrart and Yuuri from Kyou Kara Maou"

Somehow, "Thursday the Thirteenth" doesn't have quite the same ring as "Friday the Thirteenth", does it?  LOL.

It was a rather hazy morning, but, once the sun had burnt through the haze, it turned out to be sunny and clear in the afternoon.  The forecast said it would go up to 82F today, but, my area only went up to 79F, which was not bad.  

I went to bed a little after 3:00 a.m. and woke up once when the alarm went off at 10:00 a.m., turned the porch lights off, fed Dancer and Mama Cat, and went back to bed for another couple of hours!  Once I woke up for the second time, there was no need to rush.  I had my morning cup of tea, said my morning prayers, replied to blog comments, and had a slice of toast with peanut butter for brunch.

In the afternoon, I continued with dusting the family room.  I'm pulling the books off the bookcase, dusting the shelves, and then, putting the books back.  I tried rearranging a couple of the shelves, but, didn't like how it looked, and so, put things back the way they were.  I know I should declutter some of the books, too, but, it is hard for me to decide which ones to declutter!  They are mostly non-fiction books about different crafts, history, gardening, home decorating, and religion.  Currently, they all fit in the bookcases.

I watched the news and a rebroadcast of the Congressional Committee Hearings, spoke with friend R and video chatted with my daughter.  

Dinner was rice (cooked with a carrot grated into it), chicken curry, and cucumber salad.  Papaya for dessert.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Feeling well
- Being able to sleep in
- Pleasant weather
- Video chatting with my daughter
- What I was able to accomplish today

Today's joyful activity was relaxing and taking it easy!

Plans for tomorrow include continuing with cleaning the family room and tending to the garden with M.

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

No Rain on Wednesday

Day 12: Forget
Nova from the game Amnesia World
A spirit who lost his memories

No rain on Wednesday, only morning clouds and lightning and thunder in the distance.  I guess it rained somewhere else a bit north of me.

I went to bed around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning and got up at 11:00 a.m.  Then, it was a bit of a rush to get dressed and unlock the gate for M who was on his way to tend to the garden.  I took some trash to the trash can and untangled a couple of vines from the passionfruit vine that were trying to latch on to the curry leaf tree nearby - those tendrils grip very tightly!  Most of the flowers on the passionfruit vine had withered and fallen off, but, there were three or four that had got pollinated and were setting fruit!  

A short time later, M arrived and I went outside to chat with him.  But, after a few minutes, I felt kind of weird and needed to sit down!  I think either my blood pressure was low or my blood sugar was low!  M was very concerned, but, I felt better after a few minutes of resting; I drank some lemon-lime soda to get a quick sugar fix and ate some papaya afterwards.  I felt fine after that.

In the afternoon, I cleared the dining table, polished it, and dusted the dining room furniture and started on the family room furniture (but, didn't finish dusting the family room).  I also cleaned the litter box and swept the bathroom.  Then, I unpicked a row of machine sewing I had done on one side of the quilt because it had caused the border on that side to get all puckered and I didn't want that!  

Later in the evening, I wished my cousin's twin daughters for their birthday, chatted with another family member who lives in Australia, but, who was visiting a niece in Chicago, and chatted with friend R.  Still later, I video chatted with my daughter.   There had been another shooting (which resulted in yet another death, bringing the city's homicide count for this year to 102 ) near her office, today; not quite as close to her office as the previous shooting, but, close enough!  We are both glad she worked from her apartment today and she said she will probably work from home, tomorrow, too.  Safety was one of the concerns we had when the office moved from downtown Berkeley to downtown Oakland.  

Today, I am grateful for:
- I felt fine after that initial odd spell in the morning
- My daughter is safe, unhurt, and unharmed
- M tending to the garden
- Little passionfruits forming on the vine
- Chats with family and friends

Today's joyful activity was watching some online videos.

Plans for Thursday include tidying up the family room and dusting.

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

Rain on Tuesday!

Day 9: Nest
"Who is the girl? Based on any character?"
"No, just a girl from my imagination" 

We had a shower of rain, this afternoon!  Right after I had watered some of the plants in the front garden with buckets of water I had saved from when I had showered!  Not a very heavy shower of rain, but, there was a flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder, loud enough to scare Dancer, and then, a brief shower of rain for about 15 minutes.  It was long enough to wet the ground.   We need a few more showers of rain like that!

Day 10: Crabby 
"Krabby, a character from Pokemon"

Neighbor S called me in the morning to tell me that she had put some of her overflow trash into my black trash bin that was out on the curb waiting to be picked up and I told her that was not a problem at all.  Then, she asked me if I would like some chocolate covered strawberries that her niece had made and I said I'd love to have some.  She also brought me some other chocolates that had an orange gel like filling:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Other Chocolates
Compliments of S

I was able to give some fresh papaya that I had peeled and cut this morning to neighbor S in exchange (she had already declined my offer of turkey-vegetable soup, saying she had a lot of food leftover from the family gathering over the weekend).

Yesterday, Monday, I started on my Fall house cleaning.  I know that most people tend to do Spring cleaning, but, I like to do a Fall cleaning, too.  I washed the inside of the front door, dusted the windowsills and dusted the living room furniture.  I will wait until it is closer to the end of the month to decorate for Halloween, though.  Later in the day, I cleaned the bathroom and the litter box, took the trash cans to the curb, and did some paperwork.

Day 11: Eagle
"Bald Eagle drawn from an online image"

Today (Tuesday), I sewed on the quilt a little more, sewing down one of the sides.  It's coming along! 

I also cleaned the kitchen, a little bit - I don't know how the kitchen counters get so messy, but, they do!   

Today, I am grateful for:

- Rain!  It wasn't much, but, it was something and that's better than nothing!

- Chocolate covered strawberries and other chocolate goodies from S
- Being able to give some papaya to S in return 
- Phone calls with cousin and friends, including neighbor T
- Weekly trash collections

Today's joyful activity was sewing on the quilt.

Plans for tomorrow include tending to the garden with M and tidying/cleaning the dining area.  

How was your Tuesday?  What are your plans for Wednesday?  Do you do Fall cleaning?