Saturday

Single Petaled Gardenia, G. jasminoides
called "Kuchinashi" in Japanese (from M's garden)

Another cloudy and cool day with a high of 68F (normal for this time is around 80F) with a humidity level of 91%, which is very humid for us.   I had the electric space heater on in the morning and in the evening, too.

Dancer's right eye had a small discharge in the morning.  I gave him his eye ointment twice, today, one in the morning and once in the evening, as directed.  He received his probiotic powder sprinkled on his food in the morning (he seems to love that stuff!)  He had his thyroid medications applied to his ear twice, too.  He is not feeling 100%, but, he's eating well.  

In the morning, I did a small load of laundry and hung everything up to dry.  I also handwashed the second wool sweater (and lay it flat on a towel to dry).  Later, I vacuumed the bedrooms, kitchen, and hallway, moving my bed, etc. in order to vacuum underneath, just in case Dancer's allergic to dust!  

Later in the afternoon, I picked more blueberries and several peaches.  The peaches are not ripe, yet, but, I don't want any of the branches to break (a few of the lower branches are bending almost to the ground).  I took a few peaches over to neighbor S and I cut up a couple of them and had as a snack, with "lunu kudu", the mixture of salt, chili powder, and sugar.  

Former neighbor T called and we chatted a bit.  Later, I called her daughter K (she had been at the house earlier, clearing the last bits and pieces before the painters start painting the inside on Monday).  One of my neighbors had asked me about T's house, if it is for sale and for how much, etc.  I told him that I didn't know, but, I will pass on the inquiry to K and I did.  She said she'll let me know once the house has been listed and I passed on that message to my neighbor.  

In the evening, I watched news and knitted a little on the socks I'm making.  And video chatted with my daughter.

Brunch was French toast and I made a few extra pieces for Sunday's brunch, too.  Dinner was leftover spaghetti followed by yoghurt for dessert.

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- Dancer is allowing me to apply the medications without too much of a fuss (he doesn't like the eye cream being applied)
- His appetite seems to be returning
- Working appliances
- Fresh peaches and blueberries from the garden
- Chatting with neighbors

Today's joyful activity was picking fruit from the garden (and sharing some of it with neighbor S).

Plans for Sunday include more knitting and maybe another load of laundry?

How is your weekend coming along?  Any special plans for Sunday?

Another Vet Visit on Friday

"I don't want to leave my carrier"

Dancer and I made an unplanned visit to the vet's clinic, today (Friday).

I might have mentioned earlier that he had been sneezing.  Last night, it looked like his right eye was bothering him and there was a slight discharge:

Dancer, Thursday Night

Today, both eyes seemed to be discharging, with the right eye seeming to be worse.  He was rubbing his face against me, nudging my hand and nuzzling his head into my clothes.  I didn't know whether to wait and see if it gets better on its own or if I should have him checked.  I was concerned that it might become worse over the weekend when the vet clinic will be closed and, also, that I might accidentally get some of the discharge in my eyes. 

In the end, around 3:00 p.m., I decided to call the vet's clinic and they said to bring him in, that they had a 6:00 p.m. appointment available, but with a different vet than the one he saw on May 26th.  I figured it would be fine.  So, I texted my daughter to let her know (Dancer is really her cat) and texted my gardener M to let him know that I will not be home when he arrives to tend to the garden and asked him to water and tidy as needed.  Then, at around 5:00 p.m., I bundled Dancer into his carrier and took him to see the vet.  He protested quite loudly all the way there and then, didn't want to come out of the carrier once we were at the clinic!

Of course, by the time we got to the clinic, not only had he stopped sneezing, his eyes were clear!  And I felt rather foolish trying to explain to the vet what was wrong!  I wish I had thought to take a picture of him when his eyes were discharging.  I wondered if he was allergic to something in the house or perhaps the pollen from the plants?

Anyway, the vet checked his eyes and listened to his heart, etc., and said  he could be having a bit of a respiratory infection.  She had them do an eye scan and told me that he seems to have a scratch in his right cornea, but, it's not a single scratch, but, rather, like dots, which seemed unusual.  He was given an antibiotics injection and prescribed an antibiotic eye cream to be applied to the right eye twice a day and some probiotics supplements to be sprinkled on his food once a day to help his gut bacteria after the antibiotics injection.  My own eyes watered a bit when I saw the bill, but, I paid it and we came home.  He was rather subdued during the ride home and didn't complain too much, which was nice.

I have to take him back for a follow-up visit next Friday.  I made the appointment before I left the clinic.

We got home around 7:00 p.m. and M was just finishing up in the garden, so I got to chat with him a bit.  

After we got home, I fed Dancer; he ate the new cat food with the probiotic powder sprinkled on top without any fuss, which was nice.

I was both tired and hungry when we got home.  Brunch had been two slices of bread, toasted, with butter and peach jam and I hadn't eaten anything else after that.  It was too late for my evening tea, so I had dinner right away (leftover rice, shrimp curry, cucumber salad, and peach chutney), ate some yogurt with palm treacle, and took a nap on the sofa while "watching/listening" to something on the TV!   

Between worrying about Dancer and getting him to the vet, and taking naps afterwards, I didn't get much housework done.  But, I did handwash one of my wool sweaters and lay it flat to dry.  I also picked a few peaches, even though they were not ripe.  I'm hoping they will ripen inside the house.  I noticed that a bird or a squirrel had eaten part of a peach higher up in the tree, so maybe there are riper peaches further up.  It's so damp and cold that the peaches are molding on the tree without getting ripe!  There's rain in the forecast for Sunday and Monday, but, it's supposed to be sunny after that - the peaches need some sun and warmth to ripen!  

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- A working heater (yes, I put it on for a bit, this morning, because I was tired of being so cold!)

- I was able to get a same day appointment for Dancer
- Medications to treat Dancer if he does. in fact, have a respiratory infection (although his symptoms seemed to have cleared by the time we got to the vet's)

- Money to pay for his vet bills

- M tending to the garden

Today's joyful activity was picking peaches.

In other news, the white sage (a native plant) is flowering and the bees are loving it (hummingbirds, too, but, I have not been able to photograph them).

Do you see the bees?  (In the pictures on the right)

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

June Grocery Shopping: Part 1

I put in an order for groceries last night and picked up the items, today.  Besides Dancer's cat food, which came to $3.27 with tax (which doesn't come from my grocery budget), I bought:

1.12 lb. shrimp, on sale with digital coupon for $6.99/lb. = $7.83 (splurge item!)

1 doz. store brand large eggs = $2.99 

1 plain yogurt, 32 oz., with digital coupon = $2.99

1 loaf (20 oz.) store brand sandwich bread = $1.99

2 bulbs of garlic, @$0.50 = $1.00

1 piece ginger root, 0.29 lb @$2/lb. = $0.58

1 lb. jar store brand roasted peanuts = $3.49

2 bottles store brand apple juice, 65 fl. oz. @ $1.69 with digital coupon = $3.38

5 lb. bag russet potatoes = $3.99 (in lieu of a bag of potato chips!)

2 packets chocolate wafer cookies @ $1 = $2.00 (treats!)

My total, with Dancer's cat food, came to $33.51, but, since his cat food isn't part of my grocery budget, my groceries total was $30.24

Plus what I spent on groceries at the dollar store on Tuesday = $5.00

Total spent to date on groceries in June = $35.24

June grocery budget = $100.00

Balance left in the June grocery budget = $100 - $35.24 = $64.76

In addition, I also have $64.46 carried over from the May budget, since I only did one grocery shopping pick up in May, on the 18th.  I'm keeping that money in reserve for stocking up, later, for when I'll need to replenish my stock of sugar, for example, after I use what I have on hand for making jams and chutneys, this summer. 

Have you gone grocery shopping in June, yet?  Are you staying on budget?  

After the Booster

 

Dancer Settling Down for a Nap

I've had minimal side effects from my Covid booster shot.  A bit of soreness in the arm at the injection site and a slight headache on Wednesday morning, which might be due to the grey, overcast weather ("June Gloom" as it is known, here) and the high pollen count.  Nonetheless, I decided to take it easy and didn't do any housework.  Instead, I did several loads of laundry because doing laundry makes me feel that I am being productive!  I stripped my bed and washed all the sheets, blankets, and quilts, as well as clothes and household items.  I dried most of the laundry in the dryer and remade my bed.  

M was here to tend to the garden on Wednesday morning.  He brought me two more cuttings of a different type of jade plant and purchased a bag of potting soil and a bag of fruit tree fertilizer (I reimbursed him for the soil and fertilizer; the fertilizer cost $40, but, he said it should be enough for the whole summer, we shall see).  We planted more apple seeds I had kept to germinate and he watered the garden and fertilized the fruit trees.  

Some of the wildflower seeds we planted two years ago have returned to bloom again, this year, too:

Coreopsis

Later in the evening, I ordered some groceries.  Mostly because I wanted to try a different brand of canned cat food for Dancer, since he has been turning his nose up at the tuna and the canned cat food I'd been giving him (which he seemed to enjoy so much that I bought two cases of it!  Should have known better!)  I just ordered three different cans of cat food at $1 each, but, then, needed to order other groceries to qualify for a free pick up (didn't want to pay a $6.95 pick up fee for a $3 + tax purchase!)

Wednesday's brunch had been leftover spaghetti and sauce, followed by some fresh peaches, sliced.  Dinner was leftover hot dogs sliced and cooked with onions and green peas, with leftover rice and peach chutney.  More sliced peaches for dessert.

Today (Thursday) is a sunny and slightly warmer day with a high of 73F.  I picked up the groceries in the afternoon.  And, yes, Dancer liked the first can of new cat food that I opened, a white fish and tuna pate.  It's a small can (3 oz.) and I gave him about a quarter of it.  He ate it and wanted more, so, I gave him a little more.  Now, he's sleeping next to me on the sofa, in a patch of sunshine.

I boiled two eggs and made egg salad for sandwiches after I came home from picking up the groceries.  Dinner will probably be shrimp curry (I bought some shrimp on sale, today), with rice, broccoli, and cucumber salad. 

I am grateful for:

- Not having any side effects from the booster
- Working appliances
- M helping with the garden
- Being able to order groceries online
- Being able to pick up curbside

My joyful activities have included eating fresh peaches and picking more blueberries!

Plans for the rest of the day include writing up the grocery post, tidying the kitchen, doing the dishes, and cooking!

How is your Thursday coming along?

June Decluttering - Week 1

Sharon at My NEW Uneventful Life had started a Declutter 50 items challenge on her blog and I decided I will participate.  The goal is to declutter 50 items in June, although, at the end of the first week, I seem to have had more items come in than go out!  That's what happens when two neighbors clear out their parents' belongings and invite me to take what I want!

Items coming in: 

1 file cabinet
1 patio table
1 patio chair
1 whisk    
4 small bowls
2 bedspreads
1 bed sheet
1 box stationery
2 sets of kitchen towels/pot holders, etc.
1 board game
1 small wooden table
1 bookcase

= 17 items 

Items going out:

6/1: Nothing
6/2: 1 old kitchen towel (torn and stained; tossed); 1 blue & white bowl (given away with peaches and blueberries)
6/3: 1 cardboard box the stationery came in (recycled)
6/4: 1 cardigan (given to me by a family member who decluttered it from her closet; silver and black, 3/4 length sleeves, and not meant to be buttoned in the front; not quite my style as I like full length sleeves and being able to button up the cardigan; to be donated)
6/5: 1 sweater (given to me by a different family member who was decluttering her closet; again, not quite my style with beads and sequins; to be donated)
6/6: 1 magazine
6/7: 2 plastic containers (recycled)

= 8 items

You'll have to do a lot better than that in the upcoming weeks, Bless!

Another Booster on Tuesday

 

Gaura
A candidate for the SPSH (10. A White Flower(s))

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments about acquiring a bookcase as well as other bits and pieces when I am supposed to be decluttering!  

Today, I was able to schedule and receive my latest Covid-19 booster shot!  I called the pharmacy in the morning and I was given a different number to call to schedule the appointment.  But, I went online, instead, and scheduled it.  The pharmacy closest to my house, where I had received some of the previous booster shots, had several openings available for today, starting from 2:00 p.m. and I took the 2:00 p.m. appointment.  

I was at the pharmacy with 10 minutes to spare before my appointed time, but, there was a short wait before the pharmacist called me in.  I looked through a couple of magazines while I waited.  One was about houseplants and the other was about decorating with flea market/thrift store finds!  There weren't many people wearing masks in the pharmacy, not even the pharmacist or the other pharmacy staff, although the signs about the mask requirements were still up!  

The vaccination, itself, went well.  I waited in the store for about 10 minutes, afterwards, looking at things and debating if I wanted to buy any snacks.  Before I went, I thought I might buy a bag of potato chips and maybe a bar of chocolate.  Well, the smallest bag of potato chips was $2.59 and the chocolates were $3.99 and up!  The bigger bags of potato chips were $5.99.  I looked at their boxes of microwave popcorn and they were $5.99 for 6 bags (for an off-brand; $6.50 for a name brand).  I didn't buy anything from the pharmacy.  

After I left the pharmacy, I decided to take my chances and went into the dollar store next door!  It's the first time I've been to a dollar store or any other store besides the pharmacy and the convenience store at the gas station when I'd go in to pay for gas, since the first Covid lockdown!  I didn't spend much time looking around, but, rather, went to the snacks section.  Potato chips were still priced over $4.00 and I didn't look for chocolates.  Instead, I bought two boxes of microwave popcorn (3 bags per box) for $1.49 per box and two packets of thin spaghetti for $.99 per 24 oz. package.  I spent $5 at the dollar store!  It comes out of the June grocery budget. 

After I came home, I microwaved one of the packets of popcorn and ate that for brunch!  Yes, I ate the whole bag!  It was the first time I've had popcorn in over a year!

I picked more blueberries, today, and brought in the trash cans.  I had ordered a box of hanging file folders along with some other items (a roll of parchment paper, a role of clingwrap, some small trash can liners, some cupcake/muffin liners, a six-pack of new undies, and four cans of Dancer's favorite tuna) over the weekend and they arrived today.  I am now able to start on the new filing cabinet!

I relaxed during the rest of the afternoon and evening, replied to blog comments and watched the news on TV.  

I browned a package of ground turkey I had in the freezer and added a can of spaghetti sauce to it and boiled some spaghetti for dinner.  There are leftovers for tomorrow.  I had a piece of chocolate cake for dessert.

It has been a rather cool day, today, and it rained a little bit in the night.  I am all bundled up and later, I put the main heater on for a little bit, just to get the chill off.  So far, I am feeling OK after the booster; just a little tired.  I'll have a relatively early night, I think, and start on the filing, tomorrow.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The availability of vaccines and boosters
- Medical insurance
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- More blueberries!
- Working appliances

Today's joyful activity was venturing into a store to do some shopping in person!  I will still continue to order my groceries for pick up, however!  

Plans for tomorrow (Wednesday) include tending to the garden with M and paying the water/electricity and gas bills.

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

Adding to Subtract on Monday

Free Bookcase

On Sunday, neighbor T's son R, daughter K, and K's friend who had come down from Seattle, Washington to help out at the yard sale continued to hold the yard sale.  I took them some of the cake I had baked and took another look at the items for sale, as they had put out items that had been inside the house on Saturday.  I managed to resist an unopened box of Christmas cards, but, picked up a board game.  I don't have many board games and often, when my daughter is home and her friends come over, they like to play board games and my daughter would usually tell them to bring their own board games because we don't have many.  When I asked K how much she wanted for the board game, she said I could just have it as she was not going to charge me after bringing them cake!  LOL.  

Later, when they were done with the sale, I saw them putting several items by the curb for bulky item pick up, including a bookcase and a small table.  I went over to talk to them and asked if I could have the bookcase, I'd give them $5 for it.  Once again, I was told I could just have it and R brought it over and carried it into the house for me.  What a blessing!  Plus, I was keeping things out of the landfill!  I picked up the small table, too:

Little Table

The little table is about 14 inches square and 14 inches high and very light.  I guess it would be called an occasional table?  My first thought when I saw it was that I could keep a houseplant on it.  The legs were a bit wobbly and I tightened the screws and it is fine, now.  It's a bit scuffed, as you can see in the photo, but, it fits in with the rest of my scuffed up furniture.  I have set up the electric space heater on it for now.

What about the bookcase?  It measures 28 inches wide, 36 inches high, and 12 inches deep (14 inches at the middle of the top, as it curves a bit); the height of the shelves are adjustable.  Did I need another bookcase?  Probably not!  Did I want another bookcase?  Oh, yes!  I had been wanting another bookcase for a long time, but, I thought I should declutter my possessions to fit the storage space I already had rather than buy yet another storage unit.  However, when there is a free bookcase and claiming it would keep it out of the landfill, I was more than happy to take advantage of it!  I cleaned it up and made room for it in the family room:

New Home for the Bookcase

All I did was pull out the small dining table away from the wall and center it under the hanging light fixture which is where we used to have the table for the longest time.  That left a space under the mirror for the new bookcase.

But, wait a minute, Bless!  Weren't you supposed to be decluttering this month?  Instead, here you are, adding more stuff to your house!

Yes!  My plan is to use the bookcase to store various overflow items that are currently scattered around because they don't have an assigned home.  I am hoping that adding more storage will help me with subtracting some of the clutter by keeping the various flat surfaces cleared.  Covered storage would have been better, but, the price was right on the bookcase.  If I can get some covered containers, that would keep the visual clutter to a minimum.    

I am keeping track of all the new items I am adding to the house and hopefully, I'll be able to declutter as many items as well and it will all work out! 

Today, I walked for 15 minutes without experiencing any pain and I was happy I was able to do that.  I also chatted with neighbor T's son and daughter (they were putting more stuff out, including a lovely old trunk and a smaller bookcase, but, I have absolutely no more room for any other furniture!) and said hello to neighbor S and another neighbor.  Later, I dusted and vacuumed the living room, dining area, and family room.  Then, rearranged the furniture a bit to make room for the new bookcase.  Finally, I took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning.

Brunch was pancakes with mackerel curry (had one pancake with syrup, as well); dinner was leftover pancakes and mackerel curry!  Snacks included chocolate cake and peaches.

Today, I am grateful for:

- More free furniture!
- A productive day
- Chats with neighbors
- The space heaters
- A working vacuum cleaner

Today's joyful activity was rearranging the family room furniture to fit in the new bookcase.

Plans for Tuesday include continuing to tidy and sort out the family room, which, by the way, is the room of the week on the cleaning cycle.

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