Feeling a Bit Under the Weather on Monday

Been feeling a bit under the weather, again, today.  I am hoping I am not getting a relapse.  I've been taking it easy and resting, today.  Didn't do much of the things I had wanted to do, but, I did clean out the fridge and I took the trash bins to the curb.

Neighbor T didn't call me, yesterday, for our usual Sunday morning chat and she didn't call me in the morning, today.  So, I called her in the afternoon to check on her.  She said she's fine, but her daughter came over, yesterday, and she lost track of the time, today.

Friend R called in the evening to ask if we are still going to see the movie, tomorrow.  I said yes; I hope I will feel better by tomorrow.  If not, I'll call her and let her know.

I spent a little time decluttering my emails, from my laptop, today.  I've been saving some emails for longer than I need to, "just in case", but, I figured I could delete them, now.  I also deleted a few things like old voicemails and text threads from my phone.  My phone has not been sending any of my recent photos to the computer, so, I wondered if that was because I had too many things stored on the phone.  At first, it didn't seem to work and I wondered if I needed a new phone.  I checked to see when I bought my current phone (a go-phone, whatever that means - according to my daughter, it is a cheaper version of a smart phone; I think she paid $40 for it, plus tax), on January 16, 2016.  But, then, I deleted the thread with all the texts between my daughter and I and, suddenly, my phone sent me all the photos that didn't get sent earlier!  LOL.  A good reminder to delete our daily texts on a more frequent basis!

This is a drawing my daughter did in her planner for the days following Christmas, when she was feeling ill:

When she was feeling ill

And this is the drawing for the first three days after she returned to Berkeley - she had taken the day off on Jan. 6, took a long nap after the first day of being back at work, and got her gymnastics back tuck back at her acrobatics class the next day (she used to be able to do the back tucks when she took gymnastics earlier, but, she had to stop classes after she went to university due to class/work schedules).  She's taking acrobatics, now, which includes some gymnastics moves as well.

The first week after returning to Berkeley

Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to rest and take it easy when I feel under the weather
- Neighbor T is OK
- Warm knitted blankets
- Nothing wrong with the phone - just too much stuff being stored on it!
- Video chatting with my daughter

Today's joyful activity was relaxing on the sofa and watching TV!  There might have been a "bon-bon" or two, as well - Belgium truffles I received as a Christmas gift from neighbor T.  It's what retirement is all about, isn't it?  LOL!

Tuesday's to do list (including things I didn't do on Monday, as well):

- Change bed sheets

- Load of laundry (bed sheets/towels)

- Paperwork
- Water the houseplants
- Pick up friend R and go to the library to watch the movie

Hopefully, I'll feel quite well, tomorrow.

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

Visiting on Sunday

Earlier in the week, when I called my aunt to wish her for her birthday, I told her I'll visit her this weekend.  Today, I called her to see if it would be OK for me to visit her this afternoon and she said yes.  Then, I called cousin P to see if she'd like to go with me, but, she couldn't leave her husband who is recovering from knee surgery.  So, I went by myself.

I knitted her a shawl for her birthday, because she feels cold all the time.  I gave the shawl and a jar of my jam as her birthday gift from me.  She was so happy with the shawl that she took off the scarf she was wearing and put on the shawl, right away, saying it was exactly what she wanted.  I was happy that she liked her gift.  When her older daughter, my cousin V, came in, aunt showed her the shawl and said, "See what Bless gave me".  I also took a bag of freshly picked lemons and several sprigs of curry leaves for her, to be shared with her daughter, etc.

I didn't stay too long, but, aunt insisted that I ate something before I left, so, cousin V served me some stringhoppers (similar to rice noodles) and curries.  I came home around 6:30 p.m. and have been relaxing and taking it easy.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to visit my 93 year old aunt

- She liked the gift I made for her

- Seeing cousin V, as well

- A safe drive there and back (plus, the car started and had a bit of a run)

- A relaxed evening

Today's joyful activity was visiting with aunt and cousin.

Monday's To Do List:

- Change bed sheets

- Load of laundry (bed sheets/towels)

- Clean the fridge

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

- Water the garden, front and back

- Paperwork

On the calendar for the week ahead:
Tuesday: movie at the library with friend R
Wednesday: blood test
Thursday: piano lesson
Friday: oncologist appointment, M to do the garden

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday and the week ahead?

Budgeting on Saturday

Saturday was a fairly relaxed day.  I slept in, chatted with friend R and cousin P, did a bit more on the puzzle, did some paperwork, practiced the piano for 30 minutes, and did the dishes.  In the evening, I watched some TV - the evening news and the Jeopardy-Greatest of All Time contest.  They showed the first three episodes back-to-back, this evening, which was nice, because I didn't watch it during the week.

While I watched the Jeopardy show, I revised my budget for 2020.  As I mentioned before, the piano lessons are a new expense  and my property taxes and homeowners/earthquake insurance have increased.  These bigger bills are paid annually, but, what I do is add up my annual expenses and divide them by 12 to come up with a monthly amount, which is then allocated towards them, so that I have the funds in place when those bills come due. 

Some people don't like the word "budget"; they feel that having a budget is a constraint.  If that is so, then, I suggest calling it a "spending plan".  I have a very detailed budget/spending plan, with several spending categories, simply because I feel better about spending money on something non-essential like piano lessons, as long as I've budgeted for it!  My initial tendency is not to spend!  Having a budget/spending plan, enables me to feel more comfortable about spending money on non-essentials.

I accommodated the additional expenses by increasing my budget and reducing the amount I was saving, each month.  I am comfortable with this decision.  I am still saving, but, just a little bit less than earlier.  Since I have no debts or financial obligations, I am OK with that. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- What I was able to accomplish today
- Being able to accommodate the increased expenses by increasing the budget
- Chatting with friends and family
- Video chatting with my daughter
- A working dishwasher!

My joyful activity today was watching the game show on TV.

How was your Saturday?  Do you have a budget/spending plan? 

Stocking up on Friday

Today, I ran a couple of errands in the afternoon.  I went to the bank and then, to the warehouse type grocery store across the street from the bank.  Unlike a lot of other warehouse type stores, this one doesn't require you to be a member and pay a membership fee to shop there.

There were a few items I needed to stock up on - sugar, cat food, and toilet paper, mainly.  I had been using my previous stock of sugar for everyday use, to make jam for gift giving, and, finally, the love cake.  I don't like it when my stocks run low, because I want to be prepared just in case we have a major earthquake or other emergencies, when roads may be damaged or closed, grocery stores might be closed due to structural damage or lack of electricity, or new deliveries can't be made due to damage to the infrastructure, etc.

Today, I bought two 10 lb. bags of sugar for $5.79 each; advertised as a "weekly special", regular price was $5.99, a 30 roll package of store brand toilet paper (when did they start calling it "bath tissue"?) for $16.99, two bags of cat food for $9.99 each, and a bag of a different brand of cat food for $10.99.  That was my stocking up part of the items I bought.  In addition, I bought a frozen pizza for $3.99 and a frozen cheesecake for $5.99 as a special treat!

Finally, I also bought a candy thermometer, that was on after Christmas clearance, for $1.00; regular price was $3.99.  Now, I've made different kinds of candies all my life without the benefit of a candy thermometer, and none of my traditional candy recipes have any specific temperatures listed, but, it's one of those kitchen gadgets I've always wanted, but, didn't want to pay full price for one.  I figured that, for $1.00, I couldn't go wrong.  The only problem is, I am supposed to be decluttering and, already, I've acquired two new kitchen gadgets! 

My total bill came to $74.73 with sales tax.  The sugar, pizza, and cheesecake will come from my grocery budget.  The other items will be paid from household/toiletries and pet supplies budgets. 

Speaking of budgets, I need to redo my budget for the new year.  My earthquake insurance went up and the piano lessons are a new expense. 

After I came home, I baked the pizza for a very late lunch/early dinner, chatted a bit with M who pruned the rose bushes (we reminisced about the time when it would take him at least four visits to prune all the rose bushes!), fitted a few more pieces in the jigsaw puzzle (with the "help" of Dancer!), and practiced the piano (for 30 minutes - I played through all the beginning pieces and played the one piece where I stumbled a few times; as I progress, I will increase my practice time).

Later, of course, I video chatted with my daughter. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Family and friends calling to check up on me
- Being able to stock up
- M continuing to help with the garden
- The car started without any problem!
- New gadgets for the kitchen!

Today's joyful activities included doing the jigsaw puzzle, eating cheesecake, and playing the piano!

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

Piano Lesson on Thursday

I had my first piano lesson in probably over 50 years, today!  I was so nervous!   I don't even know what I was nervous about, but, I was a bundle of nerves and made the silliest mistakes because of it!  LOL.  But, S was very patient and kind.  She took me from the very beginning, which I much appreciated, because I needed that refresher course.

Then, she had me play from the book and I admitted to her that I had played the first few pages at home.  She was happy and had me play on until I got to a point where I stumbled a little, getting my fingers all mixed up!  So, my "homework" is to practice that piece until I am able to play it without stumbling and to go over the previous pieces, as well. 

As part of our conversation, I mentioned to her that I play a few songs by ear, but would like to learn better left hand accompaniments for them.  She wanted me to play one of the songs I play by ear for her and I played Whispering Hope.  It's a song I've played so often that I could play it with my eyes closed.  Except, today, I was so nervous, I almost forgot the melody!  I was so mortified!  But, S assured me that I did fine and she is going to teach me some arpeggios for the left hand. 

I had a restful afternoon, after I came home from the piano lesson.  After brunch, I worked on the jigsaw puzzled for a bit, did just a little bit more tidying, and went online for some time. 

In the evening, the piano tuner arrived and tuned the piano.  He said that, not only did he have to tune it, he had to raise the pitch a little, because it was so out of tune!  He thinks it is because of all the rain we've had, which has raised our humidity levels.  I said maybe I'll schedule the tuning every 6 months, instead of waiting for over one year! 

Later, I called aunt T to wish her for her birthday and video chatted with daughter.

Today, I am grateful for:
- A good first piano lesson
- A well-tuned piano
- A relaxed afternoon and evening
- A working heater on a cold evening
- Warm wool sweaters

Today's joyful activity was starting piano lessons (as nerve wracking as it might have been!) and doing my jigsaw puzzle.

Plans for tomorrow includes running a couple of errands.  I need to start and drive the car, since it has not been driven all week, do a bit of grocery shopping, and buy cat food. 

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

January Roses

January Roses

One of my goals for this year is to bring in flowers and/or greenery from the garden on a more regular basis to enjoy inside the house.  Today, I picked some more roses from the garden and arranged them in a vase for the mantelpiece.  What a blessing to be able to pick roses in January!  Later this month, however, the rose bushes will be pruned so they can rest until spring.  This is not an ikebana inspired arrangement, but, roses, lemon leaves, and a couple of crocosmia leaves make a nice arrangement, I think.  The vase was a gift from my sister, several years ago.

I called the piano tuner this afternoon.  This is the same piano tuner the store from which I bought the piano sent out to tune it a few days after it was delivered, 21 years ago!  He's been tuning the piano for me since then and I've not had another tuner!  We scheduled the piano tuning for tomorrow evening.  Then, I dusted the piano, again, because, it was already dusty after being dusted on Monday.

In the evening, I called neighbor S to inform her that my piano book had arrived and confirmed the first lesson for tomorrow afternoon.

It has been a relatively quiet day.  I did some tidying and putting away, but, not as much of cleaning as I had planned on doing. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Roses in January
- Piano tuner was able to fit me in sooner than later
- How excited S was when I told her my book had arrived and I can start tomorrow
- Friend R calling to check on me
- Video chatting with my daughter

Today's joyful activity was arranging flowers.

Thursday's To Do List:
- Piano lesson
- Vacuum the bedrooms
- Tidy the kitchen
- Have the piano tuned

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

Music Book Arrives on Tuesday

Music Book and Coffee/Spice Grinder

My new piano music book arrived today!  Along with it, the coffee/spice grinder I ordered as mine had broken.  While using the pestle and mortar to pound the spices for the love cake worked out pretty well, a coffee/spice grinder is a useful gadget to have and buying it enabled me to qualify for free shipping.

The piano book is called "Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Lesson Book Level One":

New Piano Book

I sat at the piano and played the first few pieces without any difficulty.  S, who has no idea what I can or cannot play, has already said that we can skip ahead if she thinks I can handle it, but, I don't mind starting from the very beginning.  I will call her, tomorrow, to let her know that the book has arrived and confirm that I will have my first lesson on Thursday.  I should also call my piano tuner!

Today, I watered the garden, front and back, watered the house plants, put away a few things, and video chatted with my daughter.

Today, I am grateful for:
- The piano book and spice grinder arrived sooner than estimated
- No "porch pirates" stole my package!
- Water for the garden
- Hearing from a blog friend I haven't heard from in several months
- Other friends I keep in contact with on a more regular, often daily, basis.

My joyful activities included moving to music!

Wednesday's To Do List:
- Call neighbor S
- Call the piano tuner
- Vacuum
- Finish tidying and dusting my bedroom

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