Getting Ready for the Holidays

It's Beginning to Look Festive

I am slowly decorating the house for Christmas.  On Sunday, I decorated the tree.  On Monday, I pulled the wreaths out from their bin and hung them up.  On Tuesday, I pulled out the Christmas tree toppers and a couple of other items that are stored in that bin.  I will ask M to put the glass tree topper on for me when he is here on Wednesday because I don't want to climb up the step stool to do so myself.  

My daughter is still testing positive, but, her friend, who was giving her a ride home has offered to delay the trip to give her an extra couple of days to recover!  That was such a kind offer!  So, we are hopeful that she might still be able to come down on Friday!  We will take it one day at a time!

On Tuesday, I made another Christmas card to send to a friend, checked on the plants in the garden, cooked a chicken curry, and finished making a gift.  In the evening, my daughter helped me to select a few additional gifts, two of which will be shipped to the recipients who live in other states (they are New Year's gifts to non-Christian family members and will reach them before January 1).

Today, I am grateful for:

- My daughter's friend's generous offer to delay the planned trip home in order to give her an additional day or two to recover!
- Phone calls with family and friends
- Daughter's help with ordering gifts online
- People keeping in touch with holiday greeting cards
- What I was able to accomplish today

Today's joyful activity was choosing gifts to give family and friends.

Plans for tomorrow include tending to the garden with M and cooking the second tray of chicken.  I'd like to get some tidying and cleaning done, too.

How was your Tuesday?  Are you ready for the holidays?  Have you got all your shopping done and gifts made or are you like me, waiting until the last day?

December Grocery Shopping - Part 1

Green  Bananas

I always request green bananas when I order groceries and this time I received really green bananas!  It's almost like the person who picked them said, "You want green bananas?  We'll give you green bananas!" LOL!  I'll give them three, maybe four, days to go from green to over ripe!

Today, I picked up the groceries I had ordered online, yesterday.  This was my first grocery shopping for December; the last time I grocery shopped was on November 20th, almost a month ago.  

I bought:

3 bananas, 1.04 lbs. @ $.69/lb. = $0.72
3 Fuji apples, 1.04 lb. @ $1.69/lb. = $1.67
4 Granny Smith apples, 1.74 lb. @ $1.69/lb. = $2.94
3 lb. bag mandarin oranges, with $2 off digital coupon = $3.99

1 cucumber = $0.79 ($.40 cheaper than the last time I bought a cucumber, in October!)

8+ lbs. chicken  thighs (2 family packs) @ $.99/lb. = $8.51

10 cans tuna @ $1/can = $10.00

1 doz. large brown eggs = $4.19 (I'm not particular about shell color, but, brown eggs were cheaper than the white eggs which were $4.49)

1 loaf sandwich bread = $1.79

4 lbs. butter @ $3.99/lb. with $1 off/lb. digital coupon = $15.96

1 chocolate bar = $2.00 (gone up from $1.67, last time it was on sale)

Total spent = $52.65

(According to the receipt, the original price of the groceries I bought was $79.92; I saved $27.27 due to sales and coupons.)

My December grocery budget is $100.

Plus I had $52.22 carried forward from November.  That carried over amount paid for the majority of today's grocery shopping!  

Balance left in the December grocery budget = $99.57

After I came home, I opened a can of tuna and made myself a tuna salad sandwich for brunch.  Dinner will be leftovers from last night.

As always, I am thankful for being able to purchase the groceries I need.  As I've said before, it is truly a blessing. 

Have you done any grocery shopping in December, yet?  Are you finding good sales and bargains?  Are you staying within budget?

Sunday

Sleepy Kitty

My daughter tested positive, again, on Sunday.  We still have two more days to go before the cut off day for her to get a ride home with her friend.  

Today, I decorated the Christmas tree.  I still have to get the tree topper from the bin in the garage and put it up.  I had to do the tree in stages because I needed to take breaks!  My back hurts when I stand for a long time.  After I decorated the tree, I vacuumed the family room, again.  It is an artificial tree, but, it drops its needles like a real tree would, and Dancer Kitty tries to eat the needles and then, throws up!  

In between decorating the tree, I did a few other things, including the dishes that had piled up in the sink, and crocheted while I watched the evening news.

Neighbor T called in the morning and she said she had fallen three times, in the morning, and asked me to pray for her.  I told her that I do pray for her when I say my daily prayers, but, asked her if she'd like me to say a prayer for her right then and there.  She said, "Yes, please, if you would be so kind", so, I said a prayer for her over the phone.  I hope it helped her.

Later, I called friend R to check on her and spoke with aunt C, too.  

Brunch had been the second slice of bread that neighbor S had given me, with some butter and cheese.  For dinner, I cooked some rice, broccoli, and reheated a package of shrimp curry I had taken out of the freezer.  There are leftovers for tomorrow.

Still later in the night, I video chatted with my daughter and ordered some groceries to be picked up tomorrow.  Chicken is on sale for $.99/lb. this week and I want to take advantage of that.  Butter (store brand) was on sale for $3.99/lb. with a digital coupon ($4.99/lb. without the digital coupon) and I stocked up on that.  I had been hoping that butter would go on sale for a lower price in time for holiday baking, but, apparently, $3.99 is the new sale price!  If my daughter comes home, I will need to put in another order to pick up half and half for her.  I have some other items to add to that order to qualify for the free pick up.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Free home testing kits for Covid
- Being able to offer the comfort of a prayer to neighbor T
- Being able to order groceries online
- Phone calls, emails, and video chats with family and friends
- Being able to order gifts online

Sunday's joyful activity was listening to Christmas carols and decorating the tree.  

Plans for Monday include picking up the groceries and the usual Monday housekeeping tasks.  

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

Earthquake On Saturday

My daughter called me around 4:00 a.m. this morning to let me know that she had been woken up by an earthquake!  Initially estimated at 4.1 magnitude, the earthquake was later downgraded to 3.6 magnitude.  But, the epicenter was just a few miles from Berkeley (in an adjoining city) and on the Hayward fault line which runs directly under the City of Berkeley and the UC Berkeley campus.  As a result, my daughter felt the full effects of the shaking!  Fortunately, there was no damage and daughter was able to fall back asleep, eventually.  It was another reminder that we are living in earthquake country, but, such a blessing that it was a small quake and no damage other than some rattled nerves!

I spent a relaxed morning, replying to blog comments and chatting with aunt C who called to check how my daughter was doing.  In the early afternoon, I decided to cook some canned garbanzo beans (chick peas) for brunch.  Which led to the discovery that my can opener, which I had used a couple of days ago and which had been a little difficult to use, recently, was not working at all!  I managed to make a small opening, but, it was not enough to get the contents out.  I will order a new can opener,  but, in the meantime, I had a partially opened can of beans.  Should I put the partially opened can in the fridge, wait until I get a new can opener, and make something else for brunch?  Or, should I call neighbor S to ask if she had a can opener and, if so, could I borrow it?

This is the can opener that wouldn't work

I decided to call neighbor S.  Yes, she had a can opener and yes, I could borrow it.  So, I took the partially opened can of garbanzo beans (I drained it, first, so as not to slosh the canning liquid all over the place) and went across the street to neighbor S's house.

This is the can opener S gave me
to replace the one that didn't work

Yes, that's right.  She gave me the can opener saying I could keep it, she didn't need it, her daughter had bought her a new one!  

Then, she offered me a bag of kitchen utensils that she was getting rid of!  I could keep what I wanted and get rid of any that I didn't want!  I saw a couple of items that I have been wanting to get, including the pair of tongs that are visible in the picture below, so I accepted the utensils.   Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be decluttering my own items!  But, I will keep only the items I will use! 

These are the kitchen utensils S gave me
to go with the can opener she gave me
to replace the one that didn't work!

And since S is S, she offered me a selection of treats!

These are the treats S gave me
to go with the utensils and the can opener she gave me
to replace the one that didn't work!

A type of anise flavored bread (I took a couple of slices to try - it was very good and the texture reminded me a little of the bread I made!), two cornbread muffins her daughter had made, some chocolates from a box her niece had given her, and some dried orange slices!  

S's mother was there, too, making kufta (a type of Armenian meatballs) and S asked me if I'd like to have some once her mother had finished making them, but, I declined.  S is forever feeding me and I didn't want to accept even more food than what she had already given me.

I came home, opened my can of garbanzo beans, and made the sauteed garbanzo beans dish I had been planning to make:

These are the sauteed garbanzo beans I made
after I opened the can with the opener S gave me!

I sauteed the garbanzo beans with finely cut onions, curry leaves, sliced green serrano chilies, mustard seeds, and lemon juice.  I didn't make it very spicy.  I took a small dish of it over to neighbor S for her to try.  

Then, I had a bowl of the garbanzo beans for brunch.  Later, I tried one of the slices of the bread S had given me; it was delicious!  I had a portion of it with butter and the other portion with cheese.  

In the evening, I watched news, spoke with my daughter, spoke with the monks at the Temple (my daughter had said that they had called her to check on her and assured her that they were praying for her good health), and with friend R.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- The earthquake felt by daughter was a small one and didn't cause any damage
- Daughter continues to be fever free, although she has a sore throat and is coughing
- Neighbor S and her kindness and generosity
- Chats with family and friends
- A working heater

Today's joyful activity was taking some of the prepared garbanzo beans over to share with neighbor S. 

Plans for tomorrow include tidying up the house a bit.

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

Friday

Snow Pea Seedlings

I woke up relatively early for me (at 8:00 a.m.) and left the house at 9:00 a.m. for my 10:00 a.m. doctor's appointment.  The morning traffic was relatively light (they call it Friday light, here; many offices are closed on Fridays) and I got to the doctor's office early.  They called me in after a relatively short wait and I had my ultrasound scans done.  They are 'screening checks' according to my doctor to see how my heart is functioning.  The doctor's office will notify me when the report comes in.  

I was home again, a little after 11:00 a.m.  I made pancakes for brunch (ate them with seeni sambol).  Cousin V had called while I was at the doctor's office, so I called her back and spoke with her for a bit.  

Then, I went to the funeral.  The viewing started at 12:30 p.m., but, I had decided to go towards the end of the viewing period, so I was there around 12:45 p.m.  It was a closed casket, anyway, so there was nothing to view, as such.  I greeted one or two friends who were there, including A's cousin (who had been calling me, earlier, to find out the funeral arrangements and I refused to get involved in the family dramas), and sat with the friend who had sent me photos of the crocheted candles my mother had made and given to her with the message that she was remembering my mother as she decorated for Christmas.  The funeral Mass started at 1:00 p.m.  At the end, A's two daughters delivered a very moving eulogy, taking turns to remember their mother.  I teared up at that point and I noticed that my friend was also wiping away her tears.  

Afterwards, there were some refreshments served in the lobby of the church, before the journey to the cemetery for burial.  I made my excuses to the family at that point and came home.  I didn't feel up to attending the burial which was to take place at 3:00 p.m.

After I came home, I checked on my daughter.  She said she felt a little better, today.  Well enough to do a little crocheting in the afternoon!  She had heard back from her doctor, who had messaged her saying she was sorry my daughter had experienced an anxiety attack and had suggested my daughter make an appointment to be seen.  The doctor had also sent links to the resources available through the clinic for dealing with stress and anxiety and there was a questionnaire that my daughter had to fill out.  My daughter said she will fill out and send the questionnaire back, today.  She also tested herself and the test came back positive, still.  If she tests negative on the 10th day, then, she will plan to come home for the holidays.  If she tests positive, then, she might not come home as she doesn't want to risk being a carrier and infecting me.  

I had just finished chatting with my daughter when M arrived to tend to the garden.  While he worked in the garden, I vacuumed the family room and rearranged the furniture to make room for the Christmas tree.  M brought in the tree (an artificial, pre-lit tree that I've had for years) and set it up for me.  When I plugged it in, I noticed that some of the lights were not lighting, but, that's OK; I have some strands of multicolored lights that I can add (provided they still work!)  M also brought in the bin with the tree ornaments (the tree and the majority of the bins of decorations are stored in the garage).  I will start decorating the tree, tomorrow.

The snow pea seedlings in the photo were grown from a packet of seeds that M had given me for my birthday (along with that pint of birthday ice cream).  Today, I gave him one of the containers of pea seedlings for his own garden.  

Later in the evening, Aunt C called to check on me and my daughter.  

Dinner was a baked potato with the last of the sausage stir fry I had made.  I think I will do a bit of cooking, tomorrow.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Safe driving to the clinic and to the funeral and back
- Access to medical care and having medical insurance
- Memories of friend A and the opportunity to have been able to be with her during her last few days
- M's help with the garden and other household tasks
- Chatting with family and friends

Today's joyful activity - I'm not sure if attending a friend's funeral could be called a joyful activity, but, I am glad that I was able to attend the funeral and be there to support her daughters.  

Plans for tomorrow include decorating the Christmas tree and doing some cooking.  

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

Cloudy Thursday

Holiday Decorations

A crocheted candle my mother had made, a ceramic boy and girl a friend's mother had given me back in the 1970s, and a wooden drummer boy (I don't remember how I acquired it, but, I've had it for years).

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments, concerns, prayers, and well wishes for my daughter.  She is feeling better, today.  No fever, still coughing, slightly headachy, very tired, but, otherwise feeling better than she did yesterday!  She messaged the doctor about yesterday's anxiety attack, asking if there were any additional steps she needed to take, but, hasn't heard back from the doctor.  The apartment management did send someone to fix the lock on her door.   I guess they had to glue and tape down something so she has some blue tape under the lock, but the lock itself has been fixed.  Daughter said she probably will not receive her security deposit back after this repair, but, I told her that it was OK.  

My day was good.  It was cloudy and cool for the most part.  My doctor's office called to confirm my appointment for tomorrow, I chatted with my aunt, three of my cousins, and friend R, did a load of laundry, swept the kitchen and the bathroom, cleaned the litter box, started the car, walked around the garden (lots of evidence of raccoons digging up things!), did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen a little, made two more cards, and crocheted while I watched the news.  In between, I checked on my daughter.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter had a better day, today
- Her apartment door lock was fixed
- Phone calls with family and friends
- Working appliances 
- Being able to video chat with my daughter

Today's joyful activities included video chatting with my daughter, card making, and crocheting.  

Plans for tomorrow include:

- Doctor's appointment in the morning
- Attending friend A's funeral in the afternoon
- M tending to the garden in the evening
- Putting in an order for groceries

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

Wednesday

Winter Village

On Wednesday, I finished setting up the winter village.  One of the figurines (an ice skating couple) fell and broke and I decluttered it rather than trying to hot glue it together.  I did hot glue some other bits and pieces such as a chimney that had broken off on one of the houses.  My winter village started out with nine mini houses that I bought during an after Christmas sale, one year, back in the early 1990s, I believe.  Over the years, I added individual pieces when I found them on sale.  None of them are pre-lit, but they each has an opening for a light bulb, so I set them on top of a strand of lights; the extra length of the strand of light gets wrapped around the mantel.  

M was here, today, to tend to the garden.  He brought me a small set of onion starts, which he planted for me.  He discovered that the raccoons had uprooted one of the newly planted mums, some of my paperwhites bulbs, and dug up something else at the back of the garden!  I told him that the neighbor's chickens were also seen scratching around in the back, yesterday!  At least we don't have the rabbits, this year!  M helped me to clean the spots on the sliding glass door.

Aunt C called again to ask about my daughter and we chatted for quite a long time, again.  Later in the evening, I called friend R to check on her.

My daughter said she felt the same as she had done, yesterday.  She didn't have a fever, but, she had a slight headache and cough.  She had the last of the mac and cheese and a serving of the miso soup she had made for lunch and cooked some pasta with pesto and turkey for her dinner.

Then, later in the evening, she experienced difficulty breathing and like a hard band across her chest. She took a puff of her asthma rescue inhaler and felt like her throat was closing on her.  She got worried and called 911 and she said that while she was talking to the 911 operator, she started feeling a numbness, tingling, and cramping in her hands, feet, and face! She said she was finding it difficult to talk with the 911 operator.  The 911 operator sent the paramedics and stayed on the phone with her until the paramedics arrived.  When they arrived, my daughter couldn't get up from the sofa to open the door for them!  She said she couldn't feel her feet under her.  So, with her permission, they broke open the door lock!  They checked her out and her pressure was fine, she had no fever, her lungs were clear, her oxygen level was 100%, and she was hyperventilating!  

The paramedics talked to her, asked her several questions which she was able to answer, and got her to slow down her breathing.  Eventually, she felt better and they asked her if she has ever felt an anxiety attack.  She had said no, never, and they told her that she had just experienced an anxiety attack!  They had told her that physically she was fine and there was no need to take her to the hospital, but, she should call her doctor in the morning.  After they left, she notified the building management about the broken door lock and called me.

I had no idea that she was having a panic attack, but, I had just texted her to ask how she was doing!  Maybe I felt that something was not quite right?  She said she received my text just as the paramedics left!   

We chatted online the rest of the evening.  She did a Covid test shortly after midnight and she tested positive, but, the paramedics had told her that she is probably no longer contagious.  She will test herself again in a couple of days.

Today, I am grateful for:

- My daughter is physically well; it was not a heart attack, worsening Covid symptoms, or stroke, etc.
- 911 emergency services, an operator who stayed on the line with her, and paramedics who responded to her call
- Being able to video chat with her
- Phone chats with family and friends
- M tending to the garden for me

Today's joyful activity experience is knowing that my daughter is physically well.  I am hopeful that she will be able to consult with her doctor and find out ways to handle any future anxiety attacks.  

I have no firm plans for tomorrow.  Some housekeeping and card making, I think.

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