A Sunny Sunday

Cookbook Collection

I took this photo of my cookbook collection as a "before" picture, thinking I might declutter some of the books.  They take up about 15 inches on a 24 inches wide bookshelf, which, I suppose isn't too bad for a collection of cookbooks.  Several years ago, I used to belong to a "cookbook of the month club" and I bought quite a few cookbooks and had at least two 3-ft. wide shelves crammed full with cookbooks.  Over the years, I decluttered them until I thinned them down to what is pictured above (the white folder has a few recipes I've cut out from magazines and one or two handwritten ones).  My collection includes a notebook in which my mother handwrote some recipes (the book with the blue spine) and several notebooks in which a 17 year old me hand-copied recipes from a printed cookbook that my mother had, which she gave away before we left Sri Lanka (she later told me that if she had known I'd wanted the recipes, she would have kept the book; she bought me a replacement book on a return visit to Sri Lanka, but, it was a newer edition and some of the recipes had been "updated" and weren't the same.)  I keep thinking that a lot of these recipes can be found online, and I pulled out three of the books, thinking I might donate them, but, then, I put them all back again!  Decluttering books is like pulling teeth, for me!

We had sunshine, today, and the daytime high did go up to 77F (which is still quite cool for this time of the year; last year, we had a record setting 107F on Sept. 3).  But, it was nice and comfortable, not too hot, not too cold.

Maybe I did a bit too much, yesterday, cooking the beef smore, because my hip was a little painful when I woke up.  I considered taking a Tylenol, but, over the course of the day, the pain eased somewhat, so, I didn't take anything.  I've been trying to drink more water and that is helping, I think.  My goal is to drink 8 cups of water and I've drunk 7 cups, so far (10:00 p.m.); I am sure I'll be able to drink the last cup when I take my medications before I go to bed.  This amount of hydration does not include the two cups of tea I drank.

I took the trash and the bag of recycling out to the bins in the morning and I walked just once up and down the driveway and along the sidewalk in front of my house, just to keep the joints moving!  I noticed several vehicles parked on the front yard of the house next door and I could hear the voices of people working on the house.  I believe they are construction workers and not necessarily the owners of the house.  They seem to be doing quite a few renovations.  

I spent the majority of the afternoon on the living room sofa, resting my hip, reading blogs, watching online videos, playing Sudoku, etc.  And attending to Dancer!  Since yesterday, he's back to not liking any of the food I've been offering him; he takes a couple of bites and then, walks away and two minutes later, he's meowing at me again!  And it is such a sad sounding meow!  Then, I get up off the sofa and offer him something else.  As a result, he has his personal buffet spread out for him with separate bowls of three flavors of cat food and some tuna.  There are two kinds of kibble, too!  His water bowl is full and so is the bucket he likes to drink from!  And still he kept meowing.  Eventually, I figured out what he wanted - tuna from a freshly opened can, not the last bits from a can that was opened two days ago!  He is such a spoiled kitty!  He's due for his arthritis injection, too - I need to call the vet's office on Tuesday (Monday being a holiday, Labor Day, the vet's clinic will be closed) to schedule that.  The garden cats (Mama Cat and her admirer who visits from time to time, a fully black cat I call Black Jack) aren't quite as fussy and they will eat the opened cans of cat food that Dancer won't eat and whatever the garden cats don't eat, the possums will eat. 

In the evening, my hip felt much better and I did a little bit of tidying up and putting away.  I finally put away the new yarn in the yarn bin which is now full, again, and I cleaned the glass top of the family room coffee table.  I also ran the cleaning cycle on the washing machine as that light has been coming on the last couple of times I did laundry.  

Brunch was leftover milkrice with mackerel curry.  Dinner was some of the beef smore with bread.  I had some yogurt for dessert, afterwards.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny day and pleasant temperatures
- Being able to rest as needed
- The hip pain getting better, as the day progressed
- The few tidying/putting away tasks I managed to do
- Emails from friends

Today's joyful activity was relaxing in the afternoon sunshine coming through the window and watching online videos.

Tomorrow is a holiday, but, I'm not planning any Labor Day celebrations.  I'd like to get a little more tidying done, depending on how I am feeling.

What are your plans for Monday?  Is it a holiday where you are?

September Rain!

Raindrops on Spiderwebs

It rained last night/early this morning!  Not a lot, but, enough to wet the ground!  It is unusual to get rain in September.  It's been a cloudy day, today, and the temperature never rose above 74F even though the high today was forecast to be 77F.  Even 77F is unusually cool for us at this time of the year, with our average temperature for September being 90F and the record high being 103F last year, 2022.

I still have a little pain in my hip, but, it's not too bad.  I took a small stroll around the garden in the morning, when I went out to unlock the gate for M, take the kitchen trash out, and check the mail.  

The Euphorbia tirucalli is having a new spurt of growth after the earlier rain compliments of tropical storm Hilary:

New Growth on the Euphorbia Tirucalli

At long last, the moringa tree is showing some new growth - it thrives in the hot weather and this year, the summer was too cool for it to come out of winter dormancy.  It's growing now, but, I doubt if it will have enough warm weather to grow any pods.

Moringa Leaves and Flower Buds

In the meantime, the calamondin tree has new flowers!  It's a type of citrus and the flowers smell wonderful!

Calamondin Tree and Flowers

There's always something new to see in the garden.

M was here in the early afternoon, today.  He watered the fruit trees because the amount of rain we received overnight wasn't quite enough for them and he did some tidying and weeding.  

My half sister called this morning to check on me.  I had called her, earlier in the week, but, she didn't answer and her answering machine didn't come on.  I didn't call her after that and she called, saying she hadn't spoken with me in a while, which was nice.

I put away a load of laundry that I had hung up to dry and cooked the beef chuck roast that I had bought, last week.  I had planned to make a beef curry, but, I didn't feel like standing and cutting the meat, so, I made a dish known as "ismoru" in Sinhalese or smore/smoore (it is spelled both ways) in English, which is like a spicy pot roast, cooked in coconut milk and spices.  It is a Sri Lankan pot roast with Dutch origins and usually made by the ethnic group known as Burghers, who are the descendants of the Dutch and Portuguese in Sri Lanka.  I am not a Burgher, but, my maternal grandmother was and she used to make beef smore for family gatherings:

Mas Ismoru (Meat Smore/Smoore)

Once cooked, it is supposed to be fried in ghee and then, sliced and served with the thick gravy, with rice or bread.  I am not sure if I want to fry it, yet, because I plan to portion it up and freeze most of it.  I might fry the individual portions as I thaw them, just before slicing and eating them.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- The rain we received overnight
- M tending to the garden
- New growth on the plants in the garden
- A call from my half-sister
- Old family recipes

Today's joyful activities included chatting with my half-sister, visiting a bit with M before he started on the garden, and walking in the garden.  

How was your day?

Today: September 1, 2023

Today's Harvest (9/1/23)

Today is a blessing!  Eight years ago, today, I had a diagnostic biopsy, the results of which confirmed that I had cancer.  To be alive, and relatively well, today, eight years later, is both a blessing and an answered prayer.

Today, I made my usual first of the month brunch of milkrice and when I made my usual offering at the altar, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessing of today.  I also made a mackerel curry (using canned mackerel) to go with the milkrice. 

Today, the pain in my hip has subsided quite a bit.  I am able to walk without shuffling.  My daughter admonished me not to "overdo things by a mile because you are feeling better" and I promised her that I won't!  But, I was able to do a few things, including going out into the garden and harvesting what is shown above - one passionfruit, two lemons (one of which is rather shriveled), three serrano chilies, and some blueberries!  Yes, the blueberry bushes are still producing berries!

Blueberries on the Bushes

While I was in the garden, I started the car and let it run for a few minutes.  And I took a few pictures.

The squash plants - I asked M to open up the chicken wire mesh we had placed around the planting bed in order to give Eenie room to spread; I rather suspect that Eenie is a butternut squash vine!  There are two tomato plants growing, too.  And yes, that's Mama Cat in her yellow bucket in the background!

Squash Plants

The Squash Plants From the Other Side

The Newest Squash Seedling - Jack
(in case it's a pumpkin)

Nearby, the volunteer tomato plant growing in the apple seedling planter seems to be a cherry tomato plant:

Volunteer Cherry Tomato

M was supposed to tend to the garden, today, but, he called to ask if he could do it tomorrow, instead.  I was fine with that.  The weather forecast says it will rain very early tomorrow; if it does, then, M might not need to water!  I had unlocked the gate, earlier, in anticipation of M's arrival, so, after the phone call, I went back outside and locked the gate.  I noticed that there were some vehicles parked in the driveway, next door (neighbor T's former home).  They appeared to be construction workers' vehicles, so, I'm assuming they are doing some repairs or upgrading before the new owners move in.  I also noticed quite a few large plants in growers pots in the backyard, so it looks like they plan to landscape the yard.  It's going to be interesting to see what takes place, next door!

I spent the rest of the evening relaxing, watching some TV, and video chatting with my daughter.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The blessing of this day
- Answered prayers
- Being alive and relatively well
- Access to medical care
- The garden harvest

Today's joyful activity was being out in the garden, picking some homegrown produce and rejoicing.

Balanced Life Goals - August Review and September Goals

As always, my overall goal is to live a life that feels well balanced to me.  To that end, I have created several areas of importance to me to focus on.  I try to evaluate each area, rating my satisfaction in that area of my life from 1 to 10, with 1 being most dissatisfied and 10 being most satisfied.  Ideally, all the areas get equal and high rating, but, lower satisfaction ratings indicate that these areas need more work.  My ratings for each area are shown within the parentheses, with the beginning of the month ratings in (black) and the end of the month ratings shown in (blue). 

These are the individual areas of my life and their ratings for August:

Spiritual (10)(10):   The goal is to live a spiritually meaningful life:
I continued with daily prayers, meditation, and, what is most important, living my daily life in accordance with the teachings of my religion.  What that means to me is living my life in a manner that does not intentionally harm others (to the extent my non-vegetarian diet lets me!) and being generous, kind, and compassionate in my thoughts, speech, and actions.  While there is room for improvement in this area (I could strive to become a vegetarian, for example), I am happy with this area of my life.

My goal in September is to continue to live a spiritually meaningful life.

Daughter (10)(10):  The goal is to continue to have a close relationship with her:

Daughter and I continued to keep in touch by phone, texts, and video chats in August, too.  Although we are not planning any visits during the summer, she did offer to come home to take care of me when I had some hip pain, at the very end of the month, although I assured her that I was fine and able to manage (the hip pain is getting better).

My goal in September is to continue to have a close, if long distance, relationship with her!

Leisure/Crafts/Hobbies (10)(10):  The goal is to relax doing something I enjoy doing for the pleasure of it.

The biggest leisure/crafts/hobby activity I did in August was crocheting a lap blanket with yarn I had in the stash!  I started it on the 10th and had it done by the 24th!  

In addition, I spent some time reading some library books and participated in the monthly photo challenge.  I am also participating in the Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt, which will end in September. 

I am happy with the amount of leisure/crafts/hobbies activities I did in August.  My goal in September is to continue to engage in fun, relaxing activities including crafts and hobbies.  I have a couple of quilts waiting my attention and new yarn to start knitting!

Finances (10)(10):  The goal is financial security:

I continued to budget and spend mindfully, with purpose, in August and had a consultation with my financial planner to take care of a few matters.  It's been almost 5 years since I retired (where did those years go?) and I continue to manage well on my retirement income.   

I will continue to budget and spend mindfully in September, too.

Garden (9.0)(9.5):  The goal is a garden that is productive, yet drought tolerant:

- Maintaining (water, fertilize, and weed); M will continue to visit twice a week

The garden was wilting at the beginning of August, but, it perked up when we were blessed with an unexpected day of rain as hurricane-turned-tropical storm Hilary moved past us!  

This month, I picked the last of the tomatoes from the first two plants we put in (Early Girl) - there was a plentiful crop of tomatoes, but, they were all very, very small, about the size of cherry tomatoes!  There are other tomato plants coming up - one of them is a volunteer plant and might be a cherry tomato; the others are from a mixture of 10 year old seeds that I had - I didn't expect much from those seeds, but, I'm pleasantly surprised to see some plants coming up!

I also harvested some potatoes that I had grown in containers (from supermarket potatoes that had sprouted before I could use them all up) which was fun! And I harvested all the onions, too, although they bolted before the onion bulbs grew to be of any size and I let the onion flowers bloom because they were so pretty. 

 

I picked all the Asian pears before they were ripe because one of the branches broke under the weight of the fruit.  The fruits were small, but, there were many - I think, next year, we will thin out the fruit when they start to appear.  I've picked some of the passionfruits, too, and they've made some delicious drinks, this month.

I am very pleased with how the garden performed in August, given the fact that we are in the middle of the summer with temperatures in the triple digits (100F+) on some days.  I've raised the satisfaction rating from 9 to 9.5

September garden goals include keeping the plants watered, especially the seedling tomato plants and the squash plants, and the garden weeded and tidy with M's help.  

Family/Friends/Community (9.0)(9.0):  The goal is to have a close connection with family and friends and be involved with my community:

- Regular phone calls and emails, etc., to keep in touch

- Participate in the blogging community and the online organizing community

There were regular phone calls, texts, emails, etc., with family, friends, and neighbors in August.  I had a very pleasant in person visit with neighbor S and her mother L, showing L how to crochet a shawl similar to the one I had crocheted and given her as a gift a few years ago.  As always, there were several exchanges of gifts of food with neighbor S and her family and with gardener friend M!  LOL. 

I participated in the blogging community, as well, and to a lesser extent, in the online organizing friends group.  

Goals for September will remain the same.  Former neighbor T and her daughter K both informed me that T's house has been sold and escrow will close at the end of the month; I get to look forward to having new neighbors and getting to meet them in September.  I hope they will be good neighbors!

Health, Self-Care & Well Being (8.5)(8.5):  The goal is good health:

- Focus on continuing to improve my health through diet, hydration, adequate sleep, etc.
- Attend my medical appointments
- Continue to take my medications as prescribed

- Continue to take necessary precautions against viral infections

As I've stated before, improving my health through diet, hydration, etc., is an on-going effort!  

I had an appointment with my oncologist in early August and I was happy that my blood test results were all good.  I received my bone density booster injection at that visit.

I had scheduled a flu vaccination in August, but, the pharmacy called to say they didn't have the required dosage for me and cancelled the appointment.  

On the whole, my health was being maintained during August, but, at the very end of the month, I've had some hip pain, which I am hoping won't be another sciatica flare up.  My daughter thinks I might have been dehydrated, which is quite possible because I tend to get dehydrated rather quickly.  I've been making it a point to drink more water and the hip pain is much better, today.  Still, I'm taking it easy and resting.    

Health goals for September will be to continue improving my overall health.  I need to schedule my flu vaccine and, once the hip pain subsides, restart my daily walking which sort of ground to a halt earlier in the month for one reason or another.

Time Management (7.5)(7.5): The goal is to spend my time in a mindful manner:

- Spend time purposefully, mindfully

- Continue to focus on making my schedule work for me

- Procrastinate less

Hah!  I can manage plenty of time to crochet myself a lap blanket, but, to do housework or paperwork or organize?  Not so much!  Obviously, I make time for what is high priority for me!  LOL.  But, I did get a few important things done in a very prompt and timely manner and I think I did OK, overall.  There is always room for improvement in this area and one day, I will get to it!    

The goal in September is to work on improving my time management skills!  

House (7.5)(7.5):  The goal is a home that is pleasant, comfortable, and welcoming:

- Clean - Clean the house as needed 
- Organize - Continue to find a place for everything and keep everything in its place
- Well maintained - Keep "erasing the evidence"; implement daily and weekly cleaning schedules
- Decluttered - Continue with the decluttering process

The house is looking very "lived in" currently!  LOL.  I'm good at creating messes, but, not so good when it comes to clearing the messes.  I tend to leave evidence of my activities for all to see, well after I've finished those activities!  This is something I struggle with.  However, no one is coming to see and, if they do, I hope they'll overlook the mess and enjoy the cup of tea I will offer them.

As for the decluttering, I had a goal of decluttering 31 items in August and I tried.  I tossed a few items including some old make up, dried up nail polish, and torn socks (not the knitted ones which I darn), recycled several items including brochures, plastic food containers, and cardboard boxes, put aside a few things including some clothing items and books to donate, and watched motivational videos on decluttering.  But, in the end, I didn't meet my goal of decluttering 31 items.  However, I get bonus points for resisting picking up those plastic storage containers that neighbor T's daughter had put out!  LOL!

September goals for this area include tidying, cleaning, organizing, and decluttering.  I have a goal of decluttering 30 items in September.  

Once again, certain areas continued to get a high satisfaction rating, one area (garden) increased very slightly, and others remained the same.  None of the areas decreased in my satisfaction ratings, which is good.  All in all, August was a good month, even if I didn't meet all my goals.  I'm looking forward to September.  

Did you make any goals for August and were you able to meet those goals or, at least, work towards them?  Will you be making any goals for September?

Fifty Years

Another Squash Blossom

Another male flower on one of the squash plants.  Eileen had asked how I can tell if it is a male or female flower - the male flower has a slender stalk that looks like a regular stem.  If this had been a female flower, it would have a slight swelling at the base of the flower, shaped a bit like the fruit it would grow to become, if pollinated.  Squash plants usually get male flowers, at first, to attract pollinators, before the female flowers bloom.  The flowers are edible, but, I tend to leave them on the plant to do the job they are supposed to do.  

Today, August 30, 2023 marks the fiftieth anniversary since my mother, step-father, and I left the country of our birth, Sri Lanka.  My mother had a job waiting for her, to each English to adult students in Taiwan, but, other than that, it was very much a journey into the unknown for us. It led us to Malaysia, where we visited family and friends, to Hong Kong, where we visited more family, and to Taiwan where my mother taught and there was more family to visit.  Then, back to Hong Kong, where my mother taught for three years and I continued to journey to the United States of America to do my further studies.  Eventually, my mother and step-father joined me in the United States and we settled down in our adopted country.  We did visit Sri Lanka a few times, but the last time I visited was in mid-August 1990, over 33 years ago!

Of the three of us who left that day, back in 1973, only one of us is left to carry on with the journey. I suppose that is way, back in January, 2023, I chose "Journey" as my Word of the Year and I wrote, "Life is a journey and this year, I want to enjoy that journey to the fullest.  I shall travel in the company of Hope and Joy and it will be a journey of discovery and personal growth."  When I wrote that, I did not mean for my personal growth to be what my scales seem to have interpreted it to be!  No, definitely not that kind of personal growth! LOL!

I look on each day as a step in the journey and I try to remember to appreciate each day and live it to the fullest.  This blog is, in a way, a record of that journey.

Today, I woke up with pain in my right hip!  Maybe I slept weirdly or maybe I am dehydrated (which is quite possible and I am making sure I'm drinking plenty of water, today).  I am able to walk although I am shuffling more than walking; I was able to go down the back steps to unlock the gate for M and take a couple of photos.  I am fervently hoping that it won't blow up to be a full sciatica flare up, like that other time when I was practically bed ridden!  My daughter asked if I needed her to come down, but, I said no, not yet, anyway.  Hopefully, hopefully, the pain will go away!  Sigh.  

I'm taking it easy, today, and ignoring all the things I need to do!  I did text my cousin's daughter in Florida to check on her to see if she and the family came through the hurricane ok.  She texted back a little while ago saying they're fine; just had a lot of rain and some wind, but, that's all.  Glad to hear that.

M was here in the late morning to tend to the garden and he watered both front and back for me and tidied up the place a little bit.

Mama Cat has knocked over the one empty cat litter bucket I left out for her and has claimed it as her new shelter:

Mama Cat's New Home

She comes out to eat and then, goes back inside her bucket!

Today, I am grateful for:

- The journey so far
- Anniversaries and memories
- M's help with the garden
- Cousin and family in Florida weren't too impacted by the hurricane
- Daughter's offer to come home if needed

Today's joyful activity was remembering an event that happened fifty years ago.  

How was your Wednesday?  Are you planning to look at the super blue moon, tonight?

 

Monthly Photo Challenge - August: Summer

"Summer" was the theme for the Monthly Photo Challenge, hosted by Eileen at A Bracelet of Days, for August.

Summer is:

Hot days when the temperature outside is 100F+

101F

Heat Warning in Effect

 Although a little cooler inside:

86F/30C

When even Dancer says a cooling bath seems like a nice idea:

"It's Cooler in the Bathtub"

Garden flowers that don't mind the heat:

"Naked Ladies" (Amaryllis Belladona)

Plumbago 

Pink Oleander

And scorched leaves:

Succulents (Euphorbia aurelia)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) Leaves

When the most important garden tool is the hose:

Garden Hose

Cold drinks of fresh fruit juice made with fruits from you own garden:

Passionfruit Lemonade

My favorite time of the year, when I'm finally feeling warm, although Dancer might not agree:

"Summer is too hot for a fur coat"

It hasn't been as hot as previous summers and we will cool down, again, soon.

Thank you, Eileen, for hosting the monthly photo challenge.  I enjoyed participating.  I hope you feel well again, soon. 

August Meal Plans - Week 4 Review and Week 5

The meal plan for August Week 4 was: leftovers!

I had quite a few cooked dishes in the fridge to be finished: Roti✔, a little bit of rice✔, turkey keema curry✔, French toast✔, pizza✔, one hamburger patty✔, and salad ingredients.  

And this is how that worked out:

Monday:
Brunch: Leftover roti and the last portion of chicken curry
Dinner: Toast with butter and peach jam (I was too full after a late brunch)
Snacks: Banana, Asian pears 

Tuesday:
Brunch: A chicken sandwich roll (compliments of neighbor S)
Dinner: Leftover Rice and keema curry

Wednesday:
Brunch - Roti and keema curry
Dinner - Breakfast for dinner - French toast

Thursday:
Brunch: A slice of pizza, mango
Dinner: Bread and butter (it was all I felt like eating)
Snacks - granola bars

Friday:
Brunch - Chicken sandwich roll (again)
Dinner - Homemade cheeseburgers, grapes

Saturday:
Breakfast - Slice of bread with peanut butter
Lunch - Vegetable rice and chicken, compliments of neighbor S and her mother L
Dinner - Leftovers from lunch
Snacks - Mini croissants with peach jam

Sunday:
Brunch - Mini croissants with peach jam
Dinner - Patties

Patties

Patties are little pastry pockets filled with a savory filling.  I used the leftover ground turkey keema curry, mixed in with mashed potatoes, as the filling.  They are usually made to be eaten as a snack, but, I made them for dinner.  Very often, the pastry is cut in circles and then, folded over to form semicircular pastries.  This is the first batch I made with half of the pastry and since I waited until I was already hungry to make them, I just cut squares after I rolled out the pastry and made triangular shaped patties!  Less hassle to cut and fewer leftover pastry bits to worry about.  The one in the front, to the viewer's right, is semicircular.  It was too hot (yesterday, it was 99F/37C) to turn on the oven to bake them, so, I did what we used to do back in Sri Lanka, I fried them.  Then, after I had eaten some for my dinner, I rolled out the rest of the pastry and made some semicircular ones.  I still have some of the leftover pastry (all the leftovers from cutting circles of pastry) and more of the filling - might make more patties, later.

On to this week's meal plan!  I'm going to call it August Week 5.  As always, my meal plans are a list of options and subject to change (other than the milkrice on the first of the month - that will not change!)

Brunches: Patties, mini croissants, crumpets, salad, milkrice and beef curry (on Friday, Sept. 1), leftovers

Dinners: Rice with beef curry, cucumber salad, and broccoli; patties with a side salad (must eat more salads/vegetables); roti and beef curry; leftovers

Snacks: Grapes, mango, Asian pears, yogurt, other less healthy snacks!

If you meal planned last week, how did it work out?  What are your meal plan options for this week?