A Warm Weekend

 

Oleander

The warm summer days are here!  Not horribly hot, just in the upper 80s and low 90s, so far, but a bit more humid than usual.  But, the temperature inside the house is at least 10F cooler than outside, so it's very comfortable.  I open the windows in the early mornings to get the cool air in, then, close most of the windows during the heat of the day and keep the drapes in the west facing living room window drawn closed in the afternoon, to keep the sun out!  The very same drapes I used to open in the winter to get the sunshine in to warm up the house!

M wasn't able to tend to the garden on Friday evening and he called to ask if he could postpone his visit until late Saturday morning, and I said that was fine.  Later Friday evening, neighbor T's daughter called me.  She was next door and apparently, her car battery had died!  She was waiting for the Auto Club to send someone out to give her a jump start, but, in the meantime, her cell phone battery was dying and could she borrow my phone charger, again?!  Of course, I let her borrow it.  Poor thing, she hasn't had the best week, what with locking herself out with the keys in the garage and now, a dead car battery!  It took a while for the auto mechanic to show up, but, he got her car battery jump started; she returned the phone charger before she left to go home.

I cooked one of the pieces of beef I had bought, making a pot roast with it.  I sliced it up and froze some of it for later.  I've been enjoying roast beef sandwiches this weekend!

M was here on Saturday morning and he weed-whacked the back yard and watered the garden, both front and back.  Later, I made some lime gelatin from a box that I had in my cupboard from before the pandemic - it set well and I've been enjoying it.  I spent the afternoon and most of the evening relaxing and watching videos.

One video was about "essentialism" as opposed to "minimalism".  According to the video, essentialism was keeping what was essential to you and getting rid of the rest, not necessarily paring down to the bare minimum.  I know I couldn't be a minimalist, unless I absolutely had to, but, I could get behind keeping what I consider to be essential to me and decluttering the rest.  I suppose it is another way of keeping what sparks joy, although there are some items that are essential (such as mops and brooms, for example) which don't necessarily spark joy!  

I cooked a package of hot Italian sausages for dinner on Saturday; I had one with rice and vegetables for my dinner and froze the rest to have later.  

On Sunday, I made blueberry waffles for brunch.  Later, I cooked the other piece of beef, making a curry with it.  Again, I froze some of it for future meals.  Once again, the freezer is filling up!  

This weekend, I am grateful for:

- The warm, summer days
- M helping me with the garden
- I was able to help T's daughter by lending her my phone charger, again
- Phone calls and emails with family and friends
- Working appliances and electricity to run them

Joyful activities have included tending to the garden with M, cooking, and relaxing.

Plans for Monday include:

- Dusting the living room and dining area
- A load of laundry
- Taking the trash cans to the curb
- Watering the garden 

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

A Visit to the Library and a New Book

 

The Woman in the White Kimono

Recently, one of the bloggers I follow, Lady Ella (her blog is a private one, so I won't post a link) had posted a review of a book she had read.  She writes excellent book reviews!  Based on her review, I recommended the book to my daughter, who loves all things Japanese.  Then, I checked my library's online catalog.  My neighborhood branch library didn't have a copy, but, the City's library system had several copies in other branch library locations; I put in a hold request on July 5 and asked that a copy be sent to my neighborhood branch library for me.  A week later, on Wednesday, July 12, the library emailed me to notify me that the item I had requested was waiting for me at the branch library.  

M was here on Wednesday morning, tending to the garden, but, Wednesday afternoon, I went to the library!  It was the first time I had been to the library since the the pandemic and the first lockdown!  I had driven to the library's parking lot to drop off my mail-in voter ballots, on a couple of occasions, but, I had not gone inside the building.  I went in wearing my mask, went directly to the holding shelves located in the "reading area" with newspapers and magazines, picked up my book, checked it out, and was out of the building in about 5 minutes!  I was not brave enough to browse in the stacks on this visit, although I was tempted to grab a few magazines that were right there, below the holding shelves.  But, I might browse a bit when I go to return the book.  

The book...First of all, I generally prefer non-fiction to fiction and when I do read fiction, I prefer historical novels (and love stories by a couple of favorite authors, both of whom are now dead!)  Having said that, I came home from the library, sat down to read, and read until I had to stop reading because my eyes hurt from crying!  I had read about 2/3 of the book by then.  I had a few other things to do on Thursday and the book sat unread.  But, I finished reading it on Friday.

I am not good at writing book reviews and have never been in a book club, but, I really enjoyed reading this book.  It is a story (apparently based on several true stories) of two women, connected through their very different relationships with one man and family secrets.  There are two narrators, one of whom is in 1957/58 Japan and the other in present day America, until the very end of the book, when they are both in present day Japan.  But, there are parts of the story that could have been set anywhere else in the world at just about any time, even in the present day.  The story really resonated with me for one reason or another.  

I don't want to give away the plot, but, if you think you might want to read this story, I found it to be a very engrossing book, although, by no means "light reading".  Apparently, it is the author's first novel; I think it was very well researched and on the whole very well written, too.  Yes, I recommended it to my daughter.  She was unable to locate it in her local branch library, but, she is planning to look for it at the main library.  

Thank you, Lady Ella, for reviewing this book and getting me interested in reading it, too,   And, yay me for taking a trip to the library, at long last! 

July Grocery Shopping - Part 1

I put in a grocery order on Thursday afternoon and picked it up in the evening. 

I needed bread because I had used up the last two slices of bread in the morning, for my brunch.  I also wanted more vinegar, sugar, garlic, and ginger for more chutney making now that the tomatoes are ripening.

In addition, the store was having some good deals on a couple of items I wanted, including beef with boneless beef chuck roast on sale for $3.99/lb.  I had stopped buying beef (other than ground beef when it was on sale for $3.99/lb.) for the past couple of years because the prices had gone up so much (the regular price on the chuck roast was $8.99/lb., per the receipt).  Trimmed tri tip roast was on sale for $5.99/lb. last week and I thought that was still too expensive.  This week, however, chuck roast was on sale for $3.99/lb. and since I've been paying that price for ground beef, I decided it was a good price for beef.  I ordered two packages of beef and I will cook them in two different ways.  

I bought:

1.74 lb. chuck roast @ $3.99/lb. = $6.94

1.7 lb. chuck roast @ $3.99/lb. = $6.78

1 doz. large eggs = $2.99

1/2 gal. milk, with digital coupon = $1.69

1 container (32 oz.) plain yogurt (reg. price) = $4.39 

1 Loaf white sliced bread (I ordered store brand, but they were out of it and substituted a loaf of Wonder Bread which sells for $4.29 per the store website, for the price of the store brand) = $1.79

1 cucumber = $0.79
2 pieces ginger root (0.35 lb. @ $1.99/lb.) = $0.70 
5 bulbs garlic = $1.99

1 bottle (64 fl. oz.) cranberry juice cocktail, with coupon (reg. price $3.69) = $3.04 + $0.10 deposit fee
(CRV - California redemption value)

1 gal. distilled white vinegar = $3.99

10 lb. white granulated sugar = $7.99

Pepsi, 2 x 6 packs @ $2.99 (reg. price $5.49@) = $5.98 + $0.60 CRV +  $0.50 tax

1 box (16 oz.) pound cake mix, reg. price $4.99, free with  coupon! = $0

Total spent = $45.26

According to the receipt, the original value of the items I bought was $78.70.  I will take their word for it!  

My July grocery budget is $100 (+ $64.38 carried over from May, if needed)

I spent $45.26
Balance left in the July budget = $100 - $45.26 = $54.74

Ricky, the same person who brought the groceries to my car last time (when the loaf of bread was left out), brought the groceries to the car today.  When I got home, there was a phone call from an unfamiliar number on my cell phone, but, I didn't answer it, because I didn't know who was calling and I was wary that it might be a spam call.  So, I let it go to voice mail.  I put away the groceries (the loaf of bread was there!) and then, I realized, my jug of vinegar and the bottles of soda were missing!  Not again!  This was getting annoying.

So, I called the store and spoke to someone named Steve and asked to be transferred to the pick up department.  My call was transferred and someone picked up the phone and said the store name, so I started to explain that part of my order had been left out.  The young woman at the other end couldn't understand what I was saying and I was getting a bit frustrated.  Turned out that I had been transferred to the bakery department!  No wonder the young woman didn't know what I was talking about!  I asked her to transfer me to the pick up department, but, she hung up on me!  She was probably thinking I was a crazy woman!   

So, I called the store again and Steve answered again and I said I had been transferred to the bakery department, but, I wanted the pick up department!  I was transferred again and this time, it was to the pick up department and Ricky answered the phone.  He apologized and said he had called my cell phone and left a message that items had been mistakenly left out.  I said I hadn't checked the message because I didn't recognize the number - it wasn't the store number.  No, he had called from his personal phone.  He was very apologetic about it and said I could come over then or tomorrow morning if that's more convenient.  Well,  I figured I might as well go over right away and get it over with.  It's not that the store is very far, it's just the hassle of closing up the house and driving over, again.  I asked him if I had to go into the store again, as last time, I couldn't get through to the pick up department once I was at the parking lot.  He said I could call him on his phone and he'll bring the items to the car for me.

So, I went back to the store.  I was no longer irritated that I had to go back a second time, again.  Ricky is fairly new, I think, and he's probably trying his best.  It was probably an honest mistake.  Picking up in the early evening is probably not the best time of the day, anyway, as they are probably quite busy.  I shall switch back to morning or early afternoon pick ups.

Anyway, once I got to the store parking lot, I called Ricky on his phone and he brought the items out and apologized again.  I told him we have to stop meeting like this, otherwise people might notice and start talking.  I don't think he expected me to joke about it, because he looked startled at first and then, burst out laughing.  He looked very relieved that I was not angry; I think I might have made another new friend! 

Anyway, I now have my groceries and am set for at least another two weeks.  

By the time I came home, I didn't feel like cooking dinner (brunch had been French toast and bacon).  The sausages I had taken out to thaw in the fridge will keep another day.  I opened a can of tuna, gave Dancer a spoonful, and made tuna salad with the rest.  Tuna salad sandwich for dinner with yogurt for dessert.  Grapes and almonds for snacks.  There's leftover tuna salad for brunch, tomorrow.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to order groceries on line
- Same day pick up only a couple of hours later
- Safe drives to the store and back, twice
- Being able to take advantage of sales
- Working appliances and electricity to run them

Thursday's joyful activity was enjoying a long phone chat with one of my cousins in Sri Lanka.  She had tried to call me earlier and had left a message asking me to call her.  I completely forgot the 12 hour time difference and called her at what was 5:00 a.m. her time!  She was very gracious about being woken up by my phone call! 

Have you grocery shopped in July, yet?  Are you finding good sales?  

Meal Planning July Week 2

I'm a bit late with the meal planning for this week!

But, first, a review of last week's planned meals.

This is what I had planned for meals during the first week of July:

Brunches: Milkrice and seeni sambol✔ (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, too, with some chicken curry, as well); toast and cream cheese; cereal and milk, egg salad✔ or and tuna salad✔ sandwiches, pancakes

Dinners: Hamburger✔ (with the ends of bread for the bun; Saturday and Tuesday); Rice, chicken curry, lentil curry, curried sauteed green beans✔ (Sunday and Wednesday); Chicken curry sandwich with potato chips and sliced cucumber ✔(Monday; who needs cold cuts when there is chicken curry?);  coconut roti with leftover chicken curry✔ and lentils or seeni sambol mackerel curry; breakfast for dinner (scrambled eggs and baked potato wedges or pancakes with bacon); baked chicken with vegetables

Snacks/desserts: ice cream bars✔, the last zucchini muffin✔, fresh fruit✔, canned fruit cocktail✔, cereal✔, banana-nut muffins✔

Monday:
Brunch - Milkrice with seeni sambol and chicken curry
Dinner - Chicken curry sandwiches, potato chips, cucumber slices

Tuesday:
Brunch - Pancakes with chicken curry and lentils (and one with syrup)
Dinner - Hamburger with "bread ends bun" and cucumber slices

Wednesday:
Brunch - Egg salad sandwiches
Dinner - Rice and curries (chicken, lentils, green beans)

Thursday:
Brunch - Egg salad sandwich and doughnuts!
Dinner - Rice and curries

Friday:
Brunch - Tuna salad sandwich
Dinner - Rice and curries

Saturday:
Brunch - Tuna salad on toast
Tea - Banana muffins
Dinner - Coconut roti with chicken curry and lentils

Sunday:
Brunch - Coconut roti with seeni sambol
Dinner - Baked chicken (from the freezer) made over with sauteed onions, tomatoes (from the garden), potatoes, and green peas; banana muffins

It worked out quite well, I think.  I didn't make the breakfasts for dinner; instead, I thawed three baked chicken thighs and added them to sauteed onions, tomatoes, potato, and frozen green peas to make a sort of "skillet dinner", which gave me leftovers to take me into this week!

The meal plan for this week (which started yesterday, on Monday) is as follows:

Brunches:  Banana nut muffins and cheese sandwich (Monday), Toast with butter and peach jam (Tuesday), scrambled egg and hash browns,  pancakes and bacon, blueberry muffins, uppuma (Indian style cream of wheat - haven't had that in a long time), leftovers.

Dinners: Leftover chicken "skillet dinner" with added green beans (from the garden) and sliced carrots (Monday);  Shrimp curry with rice, chutney, and cucumber salad, Sausage stir fry with rice and vegetables, leftovers

Snacks: Fresh fruit (grapes, apples, oranges), canned fruit, muffins, cereal, chips, etc.

That is the plan; we'll see how it all turns out!

Did you do a meal plan for last week?  If so, how did it work out?  Are you making a meal plan this week?

Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt 2023

Mary-Lou at Patio Postcards is hosting the Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt and the first link in is today.  I've posted the list of prompts at the end of this post.

These are the photos I've taken for the SPSH:

1. A Plant/Tree with Thorn(s): I couldn't quite decide, so I have two photos for this prompt:

1. A Plant/Tree with Thorn(s): Rose

Lemon

4. Something Berry Berry Delicious:

4. Something Berry Berry Delicious: Blueberries

7. Something that Dangles

Passionfruit

8. Some Shadows - Again, I couldn't decide between the two:

8. Some Shadows

8. Some Shadows

10. White Flower(s) - the garden was full of white flowers!

10. White Flower(s): Lemon, Osteospermum, Gaura, Gardenia, Onion

13: A Sold or For Sale Sign (Not Necessarily a House) - it doesn't say For Sale, but, it's implied, I think:

13. A Sold or For Sale Sign 

Thank you, Mary-Lou for hosting the SPSH.  

There's more time if anyone wants to join in.

The list of prompts:

2023 Summer Scavenger Hunt / Search Ideas

1. A Plant/Tree With Thorn(s)✔

2. A  Wordless Directional Sign

3. Something Netted or Webbed

4. Something Berry Berry Delicious✔

5. A Bridge

6. A School

7. Something That Dangles✔

8. Some Shadows✔

9. A Crack or Pothole in The Road or Sidewalk

10. A White Flower(s)✔

11. Extraordinary Water 

12. Summer Tools

13. A Sold or For Sale Sign (not necessarily a house)✔

14. Something That Rolls

Alternate A: Your Favourite Summer Taste

Alternate B: Your Choice

Sunday

Morning Glory Flower

M gave me a morning glory seedling, earlier this year, and it is flowering!  It's dark purple with red stripes and a white center with a little pink at the base of the petals before it becomes purple.   The way my cell phone camera took the pictures, it looks like the flower is lit from within, doesn't it?

Morning Glory Flower

It was a little cool when I woke up this morning, but, it warmed up to 80F in the afternoon.  I checked on the garden and picked four more tomatoes.  I was happy to see that the raccoons who visited me last night didn't eat the tomatoes!  One tomato that is growing close to the ground has been partly eaten, but, I noticed that last week, too, and I suspect Chicken Little or a mockingbird, or, even one of the garden lizards.  I watered some of the plants in the front garden with water I had saved while waiting for the water to turn warm when showering, etc.  And I planted two stems of the "scaredy cat" plant in the front garden, under the eucalyptus tree.  I'm hoping they will take root and grow there.  I might take a few more cuttings and plant them, too. 

I also finished tidying up the family room today.  It's not decluttered by any means, but, the room has been tidied.  As part of the tidying, I put away the bag of yarn I still had out after knitting the socks and the knitting needles.  But, before I did that, I took a picture of my yarn stash:

Yarn Stash July 2023

Christmassy yarn in one bag (right, rear), leftover wool yarn (right, middle), a bag of odds and ends of acrylic yarn (right, front), a bag with larger amounts of acrylic yarn (left rear) and a bag of miscellaneous novelty yarns (left, front) that I am considering donating.  But, I haven't decided, yet, so I put everything back in the bin where I keep all the knitting supplies.  I think, as far as yarn stashes go, mine is not too bad!  

Brunch was leftover coconut roti with the last of the seeni sambol.  Dinner was baked chicken from the freezer, with onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and green peas.  There are leftovers for another couple of meals.

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- Morning Glory flowers
- More tomatoes from the garden
- A sunny day and a warm afternoon
- My yarn stash
- Phone calls and emails with friends

My joyful activity was video chatting with my daughter.

Plans for Monday include meal planning, a load of laundry, watering the back garden, and some housework.

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

 

Saturday

Banana-Walnut Muffins

On Saturday, July 8, we broke the record for the lowest temperature recorded on this date!  Last night's low was 58F, this morning, it was 61F around 10:00 a.m., although, eventually it warmed up to 79F in the afternoon.  The average temperature for this date is 88F.  The record high for this date was 110F in 2017.

I spent a relaxed morning checking on the plants in the garden and picked a ripe tomato and a few ripe blueberries.  Later, I tidied up the family room and put away a few files.  

I took a short nap in the afternoon, then, chatted with former neighbor T and with friend R.  Later, I baked a batch of banana-walnut muffins with one of the overripe bananas.  I had two of the muffins with my tea in the evening (brunch had been tuna salad on toast, dinner was coconut roti with leftover chicken curry and lentil curry).  

In the evening, I looked outside and there were two raccoons eating the kibble I had put out for Mama Cat!  I tried to take a photo, but, they didn't turn out well.  They ate all the kibble and left.  I hope they won't eat my tomatoes!  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny, warm day
- Garden produce
- Phone chats with neighbors and friends
- Video chats with my daughter
- Afternoon naps

Today's joyful activity was baking muffins and enjoying them warm from the oven!

I've no specific plans for Sunday.  I'll probably do some sewing and maybe more baking.

How is your weekend coming along?