Rain on Tuesday!

It rained this morning!  Woo hoo!  LOL.  I can't explain just how excited we get when it rains, here, in southern California!  I was glad that I had procrastinated on watering the vegetable plants, yesterday, because Mother Nature took care of it for me, today!  After the rain, we had hazy sunshine and a high of 65F.

Feijoa (Pineapple Guava)

Today, I made a batch of feijoa (pineapple guava) and ginger jam.  I didn't have a big crop of feijoa this year and a number of the fruit I did get had something wrong with them (a big cavity inside where, normally, there would be seeds and flesh!)  After I put those aside to compost and scooped the flesh from the good ones (the peels get composted, too), there was exactly 1 lb. of fruit to be made into jam!  A lot of cutting and scooping to get even that amount of usable fruit!  Just enough for almost four half-pint jars (the 4th jar is only 3/4 full).  I flavored the jam with a little preserved ginger.  The three full jars will be gifted.  

In addition to making the jam, I brought in the trash cans, took some cuttings from one of the sweet potato plants to see if I can get them to root, read blogs, watched news, did the dishes, chatted with friend R, and cooked dinner: a fish curry (I used frozen pollock), rice, and a cucumber salad, plus there was zucchini chutney to have with the dinner.  My daughter complained that the fish curry tasted too good and she had to have seconds!  LOL.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Rain for the garden!
- A good roof to keep the rain from leaking in!
- Fruit from the garden
- Homemade jam for gifting
- Chatting with friends

Today's joyful activity was making jam.

Tomorrow, M will be here in the morning to tend to the garden.  I need to start on a couple of other holiday gifts!

How was your Tuesday?  Does it rain a lot in your area?  What are your plans for Wednesday?

Wash on Monday

"Wash on Monday
Iron on Tuesday..."

I love that rhyme and the fact that each day has its assigned household task!  

We had hazy sunshine, today, and although the temperature went up to 72F, I felt cold most of the day!  

But, I got the laundry done!  Three loads of clothes and towels, etc., and one load of sofa dust sheets and a crocheted blanket.  My clothes have been folded and put away or hung up and the family room sofas have been recovered with the dust sheets.  Daughter's clothes are piled in a laundry basket for her to fold and put away.

In addition to the laundry, I cleaned the fridge, mopped the kitchen floor, took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning (with some help from a neighbor who saw me taking the cans to the curb and offered to take the other two for me), did the dishes, paid a couple of bills and filed the statements, made fried rice for dinner (leftover rice, leftover ground beef, a handful of coleslaw mix, two eggs, some peanuts, soy sauce, etc.), and finished making a holiday gift.  Friend R called in the evening and we had a nice chat.  

Today, I am grateful for:
- Daughter feeling well
- A working heater, washer, dryer, etc.
- Neighbor helping me to take the trash cans to the curb
- Internet services
- Chatting with friends

Today's joyful activity was making a holiday gift. 

I might have been a bit over ambitious when I made my To Do List, yesterday!  I always over-estimate how energetic I might feel and under-estimate how long it takes me to do things!  I didn't finish the list, today; the three items I didn't get to are being carried over to Tuesday!

Tuesday's To Do List:

- Bring the trash cans in
- Make a batch of jam
- Water the vegetables in the back garden
- Start on the holiday greeting cards
- Clean my bedroom

How was your Monday?  What have you planned for Tuesday?

As for ironing on Tuesday, I rarely iron clothes, so I won't list that on my To Do List, tomorrow!  

"Sparkle and Shine" Weekend

December Rose

On Saturday, I attended the memorial for Aunt T.  I hadn't attended her funeral, one year ago, due to Covid restrictions and concerns; I decided to attend the memorial service, since I was now vaccinated and had received the booster, too.  I figured that the Church service would be safe enough to attend (I'd wear my mask the whole time).  I didn't plan to attend the reception, afterwards, as it would be indoors and being with 80 guests who would be unmasked as they ate and drank and talked was beyond my comfort level.

The invitation to the memorial service and reception stated, "Leave your tears behind.  Come sparkle and shine".  I debated what to wear to the memorial service.  If it had been a Buddhist memorial service, everyone would have been expected to dress in white, as that is our color for mourning.  But, Aunt T had been Catholic; wouldn't black be the appropriate color, then?  But, what about the "sparkle and shine" part?  Also, isn't there a rule about not wearing shiny outfits in the morning (the memorial service was at 10:30 a.m.)?  Plus, it was a cool morning (52F, which is cold for me!) and I wanted to be warmly dressed.  In the end, I chose to wear a long black skirt (I've had it for over 20 years) and a cream colored sweater which had "pearls" sewn down the front.  I wore a burgundy and gold shawl which Aunt T had given me, over the sweater; it provided the necessary "sparkle and shine".  That left me with trying to figure out what shoes to wear!  I have one pair of black shoes that I have had for years and have been worn so often that they are looking very, very shabby and it's not an exaggeration.  Those shoes are ready to be tossed!  Sandals weren't an option as it was too cold for sandals.  In the end, I wore my black ankle boots and the long skirt covered their tops.  I think I need to shop for a pair of replacement black shoes.  

30 minutes before I was planning to leave to go to the memorial service, cousin P called me.  Her daughter was not well and couldn't take P to the service; could I give her a ride?  I said yes, of course.  While I was on the phone with P, cousin V (Aunt T's older daughter) called to say that P had called her saying she didn't have a ride and would I mind giving her a ride?!  I told V that I was on the other phone with P and yes, I will give her a ride.  Apparently P's daughter was supposed to have given the reading, but, since she was unable to be there, V's daughter did the reading, instead.  Since she was Aunt T's oldest granddaughter, I think it was just how it should have been (not that anyone asked my opinion!)

There were quite a few people at the church, but, almost everyone was wearing a mask.  Afterwards, people mingled a bit in the lobby of the church and outside, greeting one another.  I said hello to several members of the extended family and family friends, many of whom I hadn't seen since before the pandemic.  Then, I made sure that cousin P had a ride to the reception with another cousin, made my excuses to cousin V even as her husband tried to persuade me to change my mind and come to the reception, and came home.

My daughter didn't attend the service because she was not feeling quite up to it.  After I came home, I warmed up some leftovers for brunch for us (daughter had pasta with sauce, I had a paratha with the last of the turkey curry - turkey week stretched out to almost two!) and we spent the rest of the day, relaxing.  Cousin P called me after she came home from the reception to thank me for giving her a ride.  Later, I chatted with friend R.  Dinner was rice, spicy potatoes, ground beef, corn, and curried green beans, with zucchini chutney.

Today, Sunday, I decided that the house could do with a bit of a sparkle and shine!  I dusted, vacuumed, tidied up a bit, put away all the groceries bought from the Sri Lankan store, and picked a fresh rose from the garden for the living room altar.   

Daughter is feeling much better, today, and needed only one nap instead of multiple naps!

Neighbor T called for our Sunday chat and we discussed our recent falls (apparently, she fell inside her house), and compared our bruises (I've a lovely purple knee and she said she has a bruise running down her fingers to her palm as she was holding a bag of groceries when she fell).  We rang off telling each other to be careful!  LOL.

I made scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast for brunch, today.  Dinner was leftovers from last night.  I need to meal plan for the week ahead - there's more ground beef leftover which can be made into something (curry puffs?) and maybe I'll make a fish curry  one day (to have with rice and vegetables) and a ham tetrazzini/casserole which will provide a couple of meals.  Well, that wasn't too difficult, was it?  

This weekend, I am grateful for:

- Being able to attend Aunt T's memorial
- Being able to give cousin P a ride
- A safe drive there and back
- Daughter is feeling much better
- December roses

This weekend's joyful activities included meeting family and friends I haven't met since the pandemic began.  

Monday's To Do List:

- Laundry

- Clean the fridge

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

- Make a batch of jam

- Water the vegetables in the back garden

- Start on the holiday greeting cards

- Paperwork/bills

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

Able to Upload Photos, Again!

Yay!  Apparently, I am able to upload photos, again!  I will start with the tray of treats that neighbor S brought over, last night: 

Banana Cake, Farina Cake with Syrup, and Chocolates

It's the first time I've had the farina cake and I am a fan!  The cakes were made by S's sister-in-law; thank you to S's SIL for making them and thank you to S for sharing!  

As for the items I purchased at the Sri Lankan store (for those of you who said you liked seeing what I buy from there):

Tea and Mung Beans

Cookies and Crackers 

I'm very picky when it comes to tea and this is my favorite kind; they don't always have it in stock, so when they do, I buy several boxes!  The mung beans, soaked overnight and boiled is a favorite breakfast item!  The Karapincha (curry leaves) crackers are new to me; I bought the box to try them and they were nice.  Cream crackers are a favorite of mine and the ginger cookies are daughter's favorite.

I also bought a few essential ingredients to make the special cake we call Love Cake, including farina or semolina, jars of pumpkin preserves (made from a squash Benincasa hispida known as ash pumpkin in Sri Lanka, which is also known as winter melon and wax gourd), and small bottles of rose flavor and almond flavor:

Farina (Semolina)

Jars of Biriyani Mix, Pumpkin Preserves, and Sesame Candy

The sesame candy is a favorite of mine - sesame seeds ground together with jaggery (a type of palm sugar) and formed into rolls.

Plus savory snacks - something called "cocktail mix" which is also known as "murukku mix" (murukku being the small stick-like pieces, made from a batter made with a type of lentil called urad dhal and deep fried) and fried breadfruit chips:

Cocktail Mix and Fried Breadfruit Chips

I bought two types of cocktail mix; the one in the smaller jar is spicier than the one in the package.

I also bought some raw cashews for the love cake, but, I didn't take a photo of that.

As I've mentioned before, I'm very thankful that I am able to buy these specialty items.  And for neighbors sharing treats!  Such a blessing!

More Shopping on Friday

Today, we had hazy sunshine and a high of 67F, which is more typical for this time of the year.

My daughter woke up with a low fever this morning.  She emailed her supervisor and took the day off from work.  She is feeling achy, today, and fatigued; she has spent the day sleeping, on and off.

I received a call from the Sri Lankan grocery store saying that my order was ready for pick up.  I had ordered the items at the beginning of the week and they had everything except one particular item that I had wanted.  I had been calling them almost daily to find out when they would get that one item and today, they called me to let me know that the item had come in and my order was ready.  I drove there in the early afternoon and did a curbside pick up.

There was a bit of a confusion, initially, when I called from the car to let them know that I was in the parking lot and the store clerk told me that someone had picked up my order!  I insisted that I hadn't sent anyone to pick up my order and then, she realized that she had mixed up the names and my order was there!  She should have gone by the order number and not the name!  LOL.  Anyway, the two bags of groceries were brought to the car and everything I ordered were there: tea, some of the ingredients I need to make a special cake known as Love Cake, some treats, and a few items I wanted to give as gifts.  It is the one store where I will buy things without giving much consideration to the prices!  This time, I used the unspent portion of my grocery budget to pay for the items I ordered, so I was still well within my budget.  But, even otherwise, I always maintain that it is cheaper than going to Sri Lanka to get my treats from there!  LOL.  

I took some photos of what I bought, but, for some reason, I am unable to upload them to the blog post!  

Daughter and I sampled a few of the treats in the afternoon and M got to try some when he arrived to tend to the garden.  

Cousin V called me in the afternoon to let me know that it was not too late to change my mind about attending the reception that is being held tomorrow afternoon, after the memorial for her mother.  I had RSVP'd her, earlier, declining the invitation.  Daughter and I discussed it, a bit more, but, we are still not comfortable sitting down in a hotel banqueting room to eat with 80 or so other invited guests, even if we have both received our booster shots.  I will attend the memorial service at the Church (daughter will probably not attend); I will be masked throughout the service and I think that will be safe enough.  

In the evening, I cooked spaghetti with ground beef and my homemade pasta sauce (made with homegrown tomatoes).  I sauteed some Japanese purple mustard leaves to have with the pasta.  Neighbor S brought over some banana cake, a type of cake made with farina and syrup, and two chocolates.  Once again, the photo I took of that is not uploading.  

After dinner, I did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- My daughter is able to take time off from work to recover from the booster side effects
- Being able to order items from the Sri Lankan grocery store
- A safe drive there and back
- M tending to the garden
- S bringing us more treats and goodies!

Today's joyful activity was picking up the Sri Lankan groceries.  

Plans for tomorrow include attending my aunt's memorial service.

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

A Little Bit of Shopping

A day with hazy sunshine, today, and slightly cooler temperatures (low 70s).

In the morning, I called the Temple and spoke with the Abbot;  prior to Covid, I used to invite the monks from the Temple to my house for a special meal we call an almsgiving, every December, as a form of giving thanks for the blessings of the year that is ending and to receive blessings for the new year.  But, last year, I made a donation of money instead and I have decided to do the same this year, too.  I called the Abbot to let him know that it is what I have planned to do this year, too.  They will use the monetary donation for Temple expenses such as their electricity bill, etc.

Later, I did a load of laundry (bath mats, etc.)

In the afternoon, I took my daughter to get her Covid booster vaccine.  It was done at a pharmacy in a drug store.  While she was waiting for the 10 minutes after she received the vaccine booster dose, I browsed in the store and picked up a few items:

Today's Shopping

It seems that, no matter who is getting vaccinated, I always have an "urge to shop" side effect!  LOL.  It must be the result of being inside a store in person!  Only two of these items - the hair elastics ($3.49) for my daughter (picked up two packets, buy 1 at regular price and get the 2nd at 50% off) and an eye liner ($3.29) for myself - were planned buys.  The Marias cookies ($1), the two mini panettone ($1 each) and the Harry Potter themed folding umbrella ($14.99) were impulse buys!  There was a whole display case of HP themed items - mugs, socks, Hedwig plush toys, chocolate wands, etc.  I showed them to my daughter and she loved the umbrella; I told her I'll get it for her as part of her New Year's gift.  We received $5 back in credit on the store card, to be used on our next purchase from the store.  

On the way home, we picked up some hamburgers and fries at a fast food drive-through for lunch.  After lunch, my daughter took a nap.  She has been feeling a bit achy and fatigued since she came home, but, so far, no fever.

I watched some TV while my daughter napped (news and an episode of the Great British Baking Show).  Friend R called and I chatted with her for a bit.  I also wished two other friends and a family member who were celebrating their birthdays.  

Dinner was parathas with turkey curry and onion sambol.  I had a piece of the chocolate panettone for dessert (my daughter doesn't like panettone).  Later, I ran the dishwasher (and washed the pans by hand). 

Today, I am grateful for:

- The availability of vaccines
- Being able to send a monetary donation to the Temple instead of having an almsgiving
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- Working appliances
- Keeping in touch with friends and family

Today's joyful activity was shopping in person!  LOL!

Plans for tomorrow include some housework and more gift making.  

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

Starting December

 

Purple Japanese Mustard Leaves

They are more bronze than purple, aren't they?  I picked 11 leaves from the 8 plants that we have.  This is the 3rd harvest we've had from them as I pick just one or two outer leaves from each plant, each time.

Today, being the first of the month, I cooked kiri bath (milk rice) and seeni sambol (spicy onion relish) for brunch and picked flowers (roses and chrysanthemums) from the garden to offer at the altar.  It is considered to be an auspicious way to start the month!  We had a beautiful, sunny and warm (85F) day to start off December!

M was here in the morning to tend to the garden; he watered the garden and pruned the peach tree.  We decided to toss the passionfruit cuttings we had kept to root because they had become moldy!  Instead, we will buy a passionfruit vine and try growing that!  I will have to find a spot for it and put up some kind of a trellis for it to grow on.

In the afternoon, I called the Sri Lankan store to see if my order of groceries was ready to be picked up, but, they were still waiting for one item to arrive from their warehouse.  They said they will call me when the order is ready.

I spent most of the afternoon responding to comments and reading and commenting on other blogs.  It's one of my favorite activities of the day!

Later in the evening, I called one of my friends that I hadn't spoken with for some time!  I had misplaced her phone number and I found it, the other day.  She used to work at the pharmacy that I used to go to when I was working in downtown and over the years, she became a friend.  She said I made her day because I called her!  Wasn't that a very kind thing to say?

Aunt C called me and I called friend R, later.  Plenty of family and friends interactions, today!  

I also sewed a few more Christmas gifts.  Still sewing from The Stash!  It's not showing any signs of going down, yet!  

Dinner was rice, turkey curry, curried green beans, lentils (dhal), and zucchini chutney.   

Today, I am grateful for:

- The start of a new month
- Flowers from the garden
- M tending to the garden
- Reconnecting with a friend after a few years; chatting with family and friends
- The Stash!

Today's joyful activity was sewing.

Plans for tomorrow include taking my daughter for her booster dose and picking up the Sri Lankan groceries if they are ready.

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