On Saturday

Beaded Snowflake

On Saturday, my daughter made a beaded snowflake ornament.

We went to the big box DIY store to return the damaged light bulbs.  After we returned them, I purchased another set of bulbs from the store to try out and also a packet of two ceiling fan light bulbs to replace the burned out bulb in one of the ceiling fans.  

After we came home, I paid my water and electricity bill and my natural gas bill.  Then, I watched some videos and later, daughter and I sang some karaoke Christmas and Disney songs.  I also started crocheting the border on the blanket I am making.

Brunch was croissant sandwiches with sliced ham and lettuce as the filling.  Dinner was leftover Japanese food.  Fresh fruits and popcorn for snacks, ice cream for dessert.  

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- The light bulbs return at the store was quick and hassle-free
- Helpful sales assistants
- Singing with my daughter
- E-mails from friends

Saturday's joyful activity was singing with my daughter.

Plans for Sunday include decorating the tree.  

How is your weekend coming along?  

 

On Friday:

Beaded Wreath

Daughter made more ornaments.  The beaded wreath is what she made on Thursday.  She originally meant for it to be one of a pair of earrings, but, the wreath turned out a bit too big.  So, it can be a pendant, instead, or an ornament for the tree!

Mew and Star Felt Ornament: Front

Friday's ornament was a felt start, with a Pokemon called Mew holding on to it.  

Mew and Star Felt Ornament - Back

On Friday, I picked up the groceries I ordered online on Thursday.  Everything I ordered was available and there were no substitutions.

On the way home, I stopped at our favorite neighborhood Japanese restaurant and picked up the food my daughter had ordered earlier in the morning: 

Unagi (Eel) Donburi

Daughter wanted the Unagi (eel) donburi and I wanted my usual, which is the teriyaki beef lunch special:

Teriyaki Beef Lunch Special

Which comes with miso soup (not pictured), salad, tempura shrimp and vegetables, along with the dipping sauce in a little container, sunomono (cucumber and seaweed pickle), some other pickles and a slice of orange, as well as the rice and teriyaki beef.  There was enough for our dinner, as well.

After brunch, I removed the last couple of items I had still left on the entertainment center shelving unit - the CD holder and the radio/CD/records player, and took out the glass coffee table top (from an old coffee table) that I had stored behind the unit.  This glass coffee table top gets put on top of the small folding table, every now and then, when I need an extra table during almsgivings, etc., so I am not ready to declutter it.

Then, I started to move the Christmas decoration bins from the corner of the garage where they are usually stored.  I was able to lift the three smaller bins and I pushed another stack of bins with old file folders (to be sorted through and disposed of, at a later date) to make room for the old entertainment center shelving unit in the garage.  I was just waiting until M came to tend to the garden to ask him to help me move the last two larger bins of Christmas decorations and the shelving unit.

The package with the kitchen light bulbs arrived at the same time as M did, which was good timing!  But, first, he wanted to spray the fruit trees with a copper dormant spray and plant the amaryllis bulb he had brought for me.  While he did that, I took the florescent light tubes out of the package and cleaned the cover of the light fixture.

Then, M tried to install the light bulbs and that's when we discovered that the end of one of the new light bulbs was damaged.  The package they had arrived in had been heavily taped at one end, too, so, it's possible that the package itself got damaged during shipping.  Even the undamaged light bulb didn't give out as bright a light as I had expected.  I was so disappointed.  I had been looking forward to having some light in the kitchen while cooking and doing the dishes.  

Anyway, daughter called the store and we have to take the damaged item to the store to return and either exchange or get a refund.  So, getting the kitchen light replaced will take a little longer.

Afterwards, M moved the two big bins aside and I swept that corner of the garage.  Then, M moved the shelving unit out of the family room and set it up in the garage.  Then, we took the Christmas tree (artificial) out of its box and set it up in the family room where the shelving unit used to be.  It's a new spot for the Christmas tree and it means I don't have to move the second sofa in the family room to accommodate the tree as in years past.  

Daughter hung the new ornaments she made on the tree, but, otherwise, the tree is undecorated as yet.  That's something to do over the weekend.

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to get the groceries I ordered, the pick up went well without any problems
- Being able to treat ourselves to Japanese food for brunch (with leftovers for dinner)
- M's help with the garden and all the other things he does to help around the house
- The new amaryllis bulb M brought to plant in my garden
- Daughter's help with calling the store to report the damaged light bulb and find out what we need to do to return it

Today's joyful activities included enjoying a favorite meal, setting up the Christmas tree, and getting the old entertainment center shelving unit out of the house.  It's not decluttered in the sense that it is now in the garage, but, at least, it is out of the family room.

Plans for Saturday include:

- returning the damaged light bulbs to the store and hopefully getting replacement bulbs
- decorating the Christmas tree

- tidying the family room

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

 

On Thursday

 

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa)

On Thursday, I had my follow up lab test at noon.  I should receive the test results sometime next week.

After I came home, I picked these pineapple guava (also known as feijoa) from the tree in the backyard.  Considering the fact that the tree was covered with flowers earlier in the year, there are only a few fruit, but, a few are better than none.  I shared the guavas with my daughter.

Pineapple Guava, Halved

I generally cut the guavas in half and scoop out the insides.  The outer peel is edible, but, it is generally not eaten.

There was a magnitude 7 earthquake in northern California, in the morning, with a tsunami warning issued for parts of Berkeley.  Daughter received the tsunami warning alert; her apartment building is just four blocks out of the tsunami warning area!  We were both glad that she was here, in southern California when the earthquake happened.

In the afternoon, new neighbor E sent over one of his workmen, R, to replace the damaged side door to my garage.  The "new" door is a metal exterior door which E had salvaged from another project.  He said that when he works on renovation projects, people usually don't want the old fixtures and he tries to salvage them instead of tossing them.  In fact, he said he had a salvaged sink and asked me if I needed a sink, but, I don't need a sink.  When I asked him how much he wanted for replacing my garage side door, he brushed it aside!  He said I could pay something to his worker, if I wanted to, and when I asked him about how much I should give, suggested an amount.  But, when I offered that amount to R, R declined to accept it!  I was overwhelmed by the generosity of these people and their kindness.

I also showed E some other repairs I wanted done inside the house and asked him to give me an estimate.  I have a 101 things I want done, but, I only showed him three of those things - a repair to the kitchen ceiling, some tiles that had come loose in the bathroom, and a door that came off one of the cabinets under the sink in that same bathroom.  My daughter fixed the door, when it first came off, but, it came off, again, last week, and the hinge itself needs replacing.  

2024 was going to be the year when I worked on house repairs, but, it looks like 2025 might be the year in which to do them.

Later in the evening, I ordered some groceries and more household supplies, such as Dancer's dry food, dishwashing detergent, and toilet bowl cleaner.  Quite a number of items at the grocery store, including store brand bread, bagels, iceberg and romaine lettuce, and Dancer's dry food, were for available for delivery only, this week, and not for pick up.

I had leftover French toast for brunch and daughter finished the remaining half of her burrito from the previous day.  We had leftover turkey and pasta casserole for our dinner, followed by mandarins and a small piece of pecan pie, each.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- Access to medical care and the availability of diagnostic tests
- Helpful, kind, and generous neighbors
- Receiving a replacement side door to the garage
- Fresh fruit from the garden
- Daughter was down here when the earthquake hit northern California in the morning!  

Thursday's joyful activity was spending time in the garden picking guavas.

Plans for Friday include picking up my groceries and maybe setting up the Christmas tree with M's help.

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

Mid-Week on Wednesday

Wednesday's Craft: Beaded Ornament 

Daughter made a beaded netting for a glass bauble as her craft of the day on Wednesday.

I got into a tidying fit late last night - or, should I say, very early this morning?  From 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., I folded laundry, put away most of the food items I had bought from the Sri Lankan store, cleared the family room table, cleared the little folding table I keep next to my sofa, sorted through paperwork and tossed a bunch of papers to be recycled, broke down cardboard boxes that packages had come in, etc.  I went to bed around 5:30 a.m. and fell asleep a little after 6:00 a.m.

Then, I woke up at 10:00 a.m. to be up and ready when M arrived to tend to the garden.  He brought me another type of succulent and a division from his Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos species) plant.  He also removed the cover from the kitchen light fixture and removed the old bulbs for me.  Daughter ordered new bulbs and they should be delivered on Friday.  Maybe they'll be delivered in time for M to install them when he's here on Friday evening.  

The afternoon was spent doing a few things around the house (I ran the dishwasher and wiped down the kitchen counters, etc.), reading blogs, etc.  In the evening, I watched the news and while daughter worked on her beaded ornament, I finished sewing the rows of the crocheted blanket.  Now, I need to crochet the border and finish it.  

Brunch was frozen burritos.  Dinner was a turkey and pasta casserole - egg noodles, leftover turkey cut up in small pieces, a handful of frozen green peas, and a can of cream of celery soup with some added seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, etc.)  There are some leftovers for another meal.  

On Wednesday, I was grateful for:

- A very productive hour very early in the morning
- M's help with the garden and odd jobs around the house
- New plants for the garden
- Sunny days
- A working heater

Wednesday's joyful activity was crocheting.

Plans for Thursday include going for a follow-up lab test at noon and then, maybe ordering some groceries.  We need to buy some salad stuff, fresh fruit, and another container of half and half, etc.

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

 

On Tuesday

Soup Mugs

These are the soup mugs neighbor S brought over last week.  I have plans to repurpose them.

On Tuesday, I brought the emptied trash bins in and the packages that had been delivered.  The replacement humidifier and the replacement space heater were both delivered, as well as the package of new socks I ordered for myself and the T-shirts and leggings we ordered for my daughter.  

In the afternoon, I went to the pharmacy to pick up my medication refills that were ready.  I had also received several reward points on my store loyalty card, so I redeemed them on a box of assorted chocolates, which will be kept to be served during the almsgiving.

Afterwards, I went to the new dollar store, next door, to buy a few items, including a couple of craft supplies (glue sticks for the hot glue gun, a bottle of glue) and two glass bottles with cork stoppers to use for a holiday gift I'm planning to make.  I also bought a packet of candy canes and some chocolate mints.  

Later, I watered the back garden and did a couple of loads of laundry.  

In the evening, Aunt C called and we had a long chat about various things.  

Brunch had been leftover French toast, reheated in the microwave.

We had some frozen Jamaican style beef patties I had bought at the dollar store and baked in the toaster oven with our evening tea.  It was the first time I had tried them and I bought one spicy and one mild and they were both very good.  I will definitely buy them, again.

Dinner was ham fried rice and a salad.  I haven't made a meal plan for this week, as I am trying to finish up some of the leftovers I have in the freezer.

Has anyone noticed that when things stop working, they seem to do so in threes?  First, it was the space heater.  Then, it was the humidifier.  Now, it is the bulbs in the kitchen ceiling light fixture!  They don't light up when I switch on the light; instead, they emit a very eerie, dim light, which doesn't do anything!  I can't see by that dim light!  I will need to order new bulbs, but, I have to wait until M visits next, to ask him to climb up a ladder to remove one of the bulbs to get the model number to order new bulbs!  Fortunately, he'll be here on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

- My medication refills were available for pick up
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- Regular, weekly trash pick up
- Water for the garden
- Working appliances

Tuesday's joyful activity was spending time in the garden,

Plans for Wednesday include asking M to remove the old kitchen light bulbs and tending to the garden with him.  

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

Starting December

Pichu Holding Wreath Ornament

My daughter has made a list of craft activities to do in December; she has written them in strips of paper which she folded and put inside a box.  Every day, she shakes the box and picks out one slip of paper.  On Sunday, December 1, she made a felt Pichu ornament; Pichu is a Pokemon who evolves into Pikachu.  

Here are Monday's ornaments:

Round Glasses and a Lightning Bolt Shaped Scar:
Guess Who?

Hedwig

On Sunday, it being the first day of the month, I made my traditional brunch of milkrice.  We had it with the last of the jar of seeni sambol.

Afterwards, we did a little more online shopping!  The humidifier I had bought when my daughter was a baby (at her doctor's recommendation) had developed a small leak.  I had set it up, last week, and run it without noticing the leak until Saturday night, when I saw a puddle of water on the floor and the table on which I had kept the humidifier.  So, we ordered a new humidifier and there were a few clothing items that my daughter needed, so they were ordered, too.  Then, since I had come to the end of the jar of seeni sambol and had opened the last packet of tea, I put in an order for groceries from the Sri Lankan store, too.  Besides the seeni sambol and tea, I needed a few things for the almsgiving and for the love cake we make during the holiday season and, of course, some of our favorite snacks and treats!

For dinner, I baked some lime/ginger/chili marinated salmon fillets and served it with rice and sauteed green beans.

Today, Monday, December 2, I got a call from the Sri Lankan store, saying my order was ready for pick up.  So, I drove to the store in the afternoon.  While I was there, I took a picture of some of the British treats they had for sale:

British Treats at the Sri Lankan Store

I was tempted to buy a box of Quality Street sweets, but, the price was $22.99 and I decided that it was too expensive.  Besides, I bought some Sri Lankan sweets and cakes, on this visit, and I thought that was plenty.  

Brunch was leftover milkrice and we enjoyed some of the Sri Lankan snacks and cakes for our tea.  Dinner was ham sandwiches.  

In the evening, I took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning.  I had planned to water the garden, but, it was getting dark by then, and I decided the garden could wait until Tuesday.

As we start December, I am grateful for:

- Sunny, warm days
- Being able to obtain Sri Lankan groceries
- Being able to order things online and have them delivered
- A safe drive to the Sri Lankan store and back
- Having daughter home with me

Joyful activities have included spending time with my daughter and enjoying some goodies from the Sri Lankan store.  

Plans for Tuesday include:

- Going to the pharmacy to pick up medication refills
- Bringing the emptied trash cans in
- Watering the garden
- Putting away the laundry

I hope everyone is keeping well and staying safe and warm, especially in the areas where there are snow storms and lots of rain.

Balanced Life Monthly Goals: November Review and December Goals

November is over and December has started; time to review how balanced my life was and what I plan to do to make it more balanced, moving forward.

Health, Self-Care & Well Being (7.0)(7.0):  The goal is good health.

November Health Goals Review:

My November health goal was to improve my health.  More specifically,
- taking my medications daily

- consistently walk for 20 minutes a minimum of 4 times a week

- increase the daily servings of vegetables to 3 
- decrease the consumption of added sugar
- maintaining my weight loss
- doing another blood test towards the middle of the month
- attending two doctors appointments

To that end, 

- I have been taking my medications and the supplements my doctor recommended that I take 

- I have been walking for 20 minutes 4 times a week
- I realized that November, with my birthday and Thanksgiving, is not the month to attempt decreasing my sugar intake!  Too many tempting goodies!   The vegetable consumption has been so-so, better on some days than on others

- Nevertheless, I maintained my weight  

- I did my blood test on November 15 and the results were mostly good, but, there needs to be a follow up

- Both doctors' appointments went well

I'm keeping my satisfaction rating the same at 7.0  

December Health Goals: continue to work on improving my overall health by:
- taking my medications daily

- walking for 20 minutes a minimum of 4 times a week

- increasing the daily servings of vegetables to 3 
- decreasing the consumption of added sugar
- maintaining my weight loss
- doing another blood test (scheduled for the first week)

Time Management (8.0)(8.0): The goal is to spend my time in a mindful manner.

- Spend time purposefully, mindfully

- Procrastinate less

November Time Management Goals Review:
I think I did well enough when it came to time management in November. As always, the important things were accomplished in a timely manner.

I have kept the same satisfaction level at 8.0  

December Time Management Goals: To continue to spend my time in a mindful manner and to procrastinate less.  

December is always a busy month with preparations for both the upcoming holidays and for my annual end of the year almsgiving.  I really need to make myself a time schedule to get things done without feeling stressed and pressed for time.

House (9.0)(9.0):  The goal is a home that is pleasant, comfortable, and welcoming.

November House Goals Review:

My November House goals were to keep a pleasant, well maintained house, keep the horizontal surfaces cleared, and continue to declutter at a slower pace.  

I am happy to say that I have kept the house relatively well maintained with some deep cleaning done towards the end of the month.

I continued with  the decluttering, although at a slower pace.  My decluttering goal was an item a day for a total of 30 items decluttered.  The items I decluttered included 3 old remote controls to TVs and other audio-visual equipment I no longer have, 2 unopened packets of "Sweet 16" paper napkins bought for daughter's 16th birthday, some dried out pens, 1 VHS tape, 1 refillable water bottle, 1 electric space heater which quit working (replacement was ordered, though), 1 humidifier which developed a leak (will be replaced), and several food storage containers that were filled with Thanksgiving leftovers and sent home with my guests.

On the other hand, 6 new soup mugs found their way in, when neighbor S brought them over, partly due to a miscommunication.  My fault, entirely.  I thought she was offering to bring me soup in a mug and I accepted the offer.  After I found out that she was offering to bring me soup mugs, I felt it would be rude to refuse them.  They are oversized mugs, two with vented lids.  I might find a use for them as planters for succulents.  

 

I am keeping the satisfaction rating the same at 9.0.  

December House Goals: Continue to keep a pleasant, well maintained house, decorate for the holidays, and continue to declutter.  I want to keep the house maintained so that there won't be a need to deep clean before the almsgiving.

Spiritual (10)(10):   The goal is to live a spiritually meaningful life.

November Spiritual Goals Review:
I continued doing the things I consider as important to live a spiritually meaningful life with daily prayers, meditation, being kind and helpful to others, and cultivating gratitude.  I was able to donate the colored thread the temple needed for a special ceremony and I have booked the date for an end of the year almsgiving.  I'm keeping the same rating.    

December Spiritual Goals: Continue to pray daily, meditate, cultivate gratitude, etc.  Prepare for the year end almsgiving that is scheduled for December 28 (plan the menu, order supplies, prepare the donations, etc.)

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

 

November Goals Review:  

My goal was to continue to maintain a close relationship with my daughter and I did that. She has been staying with me throughout the month of November, so, lots of together time and taking care of her while she is still hobbling around on crutches.  There is no change in the satisfaction rating.   

December Goals: Continue to have a close relationship with my daughter.  She is still on crutches and will be staying with me during the month of December, as well.  

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

November Goals Review:
My November goals included engaging in more fun, relaxing activities including crocheting, reading and gardening and I did all of those.  I also did a crafts project with my daughter, with both of us crocheting.  I am keeping the rating the same.   

December Goals include more of the same, including doing some craft projects with my daughter while she's visiting. 

Garden (10)(10):  The goal is a garden that is productive, yet drought tolerant.

November Goals Review:
My November garden goals were to continue to clean up and maintain the garden, to start planting cool weather vegetables and to put in a new pathway of stepping stones to lead from the back steps to the garage side entrance.  To that end, M has pruned most of the stone fruit trees and put in the stepping stones.  So far, we have not planted any winter vegetables.  But, M has brought me a lot of succulents to plant.  I am keeping the rating the same.

December Garden Goals:  Continue to clean up and maintain the garden.  Start planting cool weather vegetables   

Family/Friends/Community (10)(10):  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 with family and friends
- The occasional in person visits as and when I feel comfortable with doing so

- Participate in the blogging community and the online organizing community

November Goals Review:
I kept in touch with family and friends through phone calls, texts, and emails.  I participated in the blogging community, as well, and interacted with neighbors.  I felt comfortable enough to have friends over on Thanksgiving day without wearing masks.  In addition, I participated in the larger community by voting in the general elections.  I am keeping the rating at 10.

December Goals will continue to be the same as above.  

Finances (10.0)(10.0):  The goal is financial security.

- Continue budgeting and spending mindfully, with purpose

November Goals Review:

My November goal was to continue to budget and spend mindfully, with purpose.  I also had an appointment with my financial planner to go over my finances,  I believe I have met my goals and I am keeping the same rating.  

December Financial Goals: Continue to budget and spend mindfully, with purpose.  I have set a budget for holiday gifts and for the almsgiving and, with daughter home for another month, I will increase the grocery budget, as well.

November was another good month.  I kept my satisfaction ratings the same.  I feel quite pleased about it.  I hope that December, too, will be another good month.

How was your November?  Did you feel that there was balance in the different areas of your life?