Two Birds with One Stone

 

Empty Bookcase

This is how the bookcase in the living room looked after everything was taken out for painting the room.  Completely empty.  

After the room was painted, I planned to take my time and put back the items in an intentional way, replacing only the items I wanted to keep and taking the opportunity to declutter as part of the process.  I also planned to thoroughly clean the living room as well as I went, a sort of late spring cleaning.  Those are the two birds I've referred to in the post title - cleaning and decluttering.

This is how the bookcase looked before:

Before

Midway through the process:

During

It took just over a week, as I put things back in the china cabinet, as well, but, the last of the books were put in place on Friday night.

After

I have a few leftover bits and pieces that I still want to keep and display, but, they have been found new homes for now.  And I told my daughter that there is room on the third shelf (where I have the trio of elephants - a gift from my mother) for her books when she comes down.  

I might declutter a few more of the books, but, for the time being, I am happy with the number of books stored on the two bottom shelves.  I didn't count how many books I have, but, I know that there are more than the 30 books recommended by one famous organizer.  

I am pleased with how the bookcase looks.  I am by no means a minimalist, but, I think I've reduced the visual clutter to a level that seems right to me.  All the items being displayed are meaningful to me - the laughing Buddha at the center of the top shelf which was a gift from my mother, the six smaller laughing Buddhas I've placed at the base, which were gifts from aunt C, the seated Bodhisattva which was a gift from my sister, the standing Chinese sage which was a souvenir of our time spent in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the round Japanese platter which was a gift from my daughter one Mother's Day, and the trio of blue and white elephants which were another gift from my mother.  

A bit further down along the same wall is the fireplace:

Fireplace

The painters forgot to rehang the mirror that used to be above the mantelpiece and I haven't done so, yet.  I also haven't put back the large blue and white vases that used to be placed on the hearth, on either side of the fireplace.  I do like those vases, so, I might put them back.  But, for now, I am enjoying how it looks without them.

In the meantime, the shelves and the items displayed on them have been washed and the pictures have been dusted.  The fireplace and shelves were not painted, and I don't think they look bad, but, I might decide to paint them, later.  I've never used the fireplace in all the years I've lived in this house; I'd have to get the chimney inspected and probably repaired, before I do so, if I ever decide to light a fire!  With my luck, I'd probably end up setting fire to the house!

At this time, I think my living room decorating and decluttering is almost done (still have to decide if I want the mirror rehung and those large vases placed near the fireplace).  

Obviously, a living room only requires some seating, a flat surface such as a coffee table or a side table on which to place a cup of tea or a glass of water (and maybe a small plate with a cookie or a piece of cake!) and a couple of lamps for lighting.  Everything else is a want, not a need - pictures, books, decorative items, etc.  But, they are the items that make a house a home, I think.  I've lived in an apartment that had no furniture other than a patio table and some chairs that the landlady gave us, which we used as our dining table.  We had no spare money to buy any furniture, so we covered sturdy cardboard boxes with table cloths or fabric and used them as places on which to keep a few necessary items.  Now that was real minimalism although, I don't think we had heard of that term at the time, in the mid 1970s.  I don't think I want to get back to that level of minimalism!  What I'm looking for is a happy medium where I have enough to be comfortable and feel grateful for the abundance without feeling overwhelmed by it.

I am grateful for:

- My home
- Furniture (cat clawed as the upholstery might be!  😸)
- My favorite things on display to enjoy seeing without feeling overwhelmed by visual clutter

- Being blessed with enough and plenty!
- Memories to look back on and smile

What do you think?  

Garden Harvests on Friday the Thirteenth

 

Wax Beans and Squash - The Squash Side

M planted some wax beans and squash in the same planting bed and the plants are flourishing.

The Wax Beans Side

On Friday the thirteenth, I picked the first wax beans:

Wax Bean Harvest

I am pleased with the amount of beans I was able to pick.  

I also picked some peaches:

Peaches (in a bowl of water to wash them)

These peaches were not fully ripe, but, they were not bird pecked.  I'm trying to pick the rest of the peaches before the birds get to them.

And I picked the two strawberries that were ripe:

Ripe Strawberries

Such a blessing to be able to pick vegetables and fruits from my garden.

B;In addition, I did two loads of laundry, put some more books back on the bookshelves, called the vet's office for a refill on Dancer's medication, and tended to the garden with M.

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- Fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden
- M's help with the garden

- Water for the garden

- Working appliances
- A relaxed day

Friday's joyful activity was spending time in the garden and picking some fruits and vegetables.

How was your Friday?  Are you superstitious about Friday the thirteenth?

On Thursday

 

Passionfruit Flower About to Open

On Thursday, I had my appointment with the specialist.  He reviewed my file and did an initial examination.  But, he wants me to have some further tests done and a more detailed scan than the ultra sound.  So, a request for authorization for that scan was sent and I have to schedule that once I receive the authorization.  In the meantime, another appointment was made to see the doctor in July.  I should know more after the additional tests are done.  Hopefully, it is nothing to worry about, but, if it is, then, hopefully, it is something that can be treated.  

I had left the house at 1:00 p.m. and it was just after 5:00 p.m. when I got home.  I ate a piece of fruit since I hadn't eaten all day and then, took a short nap.  Later, I had a curried beef sandwich and a cup of tea.  

I am afraid I didn't do too much in the evening.  I had a chat with friend R, watched the evening news and a few videos online, and started putting some of the books back on the shelves in the living room.  I plan to finish doing that on Friday.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- Access to medical care
- Health insurance
- A safe drive to the clinic and back
- Afternoon naps
- Chats with friends

Thursday's joyful activity (or, should I say inactivity?) was taking a nap!  LOL.

Plans for Friday include going to the bank, tending to the garden with M, and putting back the rest of the books.

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

Midweek Update

Crocheted Dress

This is the dress my daughter crocheted for her goddaughter to wear at the baptism.

I had planned to wake up early on Tuesday, but, having gone to bed after 6:00 a.m., I turned the alarm off when it rang in the morning and went back to sleep!  But, once I woke up, I was productive.   I brought in the emptied trash cans, did a load of laundry including my bed sheets, remade my bed, looked up the driving directions to the specialist, paid bills and did a bit of paperwork.

Then, I decided to make a start on putting a few things back in place as all the items piled on the family room table and coffee table, etc., were getting to me.

I started with putting the china and serving dishes back in the china cabinet.  But, first, I had to clean the china cabinet shelves and the mirrored back.  There is one wooden shelf on the bottom and two glass shelves above, consisting of three pieces of glass each,  which rest on wooden supports, and which can be removed for cleaning.  Of course, I managed to drop one piece of glass on top of another piece of glass while doing so!  I thought the bottom glass would break, but only a few small pieces broke off the edge of the piece that fell.  I was able to put it back in place and made a note to myself not to place anything heavy on that piece of glass.   

Empty China Cabinet

Then, I put the items back, making sure I was putting back only those items I absolutely wanted to keep.  I didn't put back 7 or 8 items, including an ice bucket, a covered casserole dish, a tray and two small serving dishes, a toast rack, and a serving dish holding two jam pots.  I am going to put them in a box and wait for a bit to see if I want them before I donate them.

China Cabinet: After 

Then, I moved on to the living room.  But, first, I wanted to do a little cleaning.  So, I washed the inside of the front door.  Then, I adjusted the drapes in the front window as the painters didn't hang them properly and they left a gap when the drapes were drawn closed.  Then, I had to wash the inside of the windows.  And dust all the furniture, again and wash the painted shelves on either side of the fireplace.  And vacuum the floor.  I now feel that I have thoroughly cleaned the living room.

Finally, I was ready to bring back some of the living room items - the two plant stands and plants, a stand lamp, a side table, the basket with music books,  photographs to go on the mantelpiece, a few decorative items for the bookcase (no books, yet).  

Later in the night, I realized that my appointment with the specialist, which I thought was scheduled for Wednesday, was actually on Thursday!  I was glad I had already realized that on Tuesday night because when the doctor's office called me on Wednesday morning to confirm the appointment, I didn't get confused!

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

- What I was able to accomplish in terms of cleaning and putting things back in place
- Weekly trash collections
- Working appliances and electricity to run them
- Being able to pay my bills
- Video chatting with my daughter

Tuesday's joyful activity was picking peaches.

On Wednesday, I started to put back a few things in the shelving unit in the dining area, but, haven't finished doing so.  The items I returned to the shelves included my cookbook collection, a candy jar, a couple of decorative dishes, and a candle stand.  

Then, I did a little more paperwork and tended to the garden with M.  Afterwards, I had to go to the post office before it closed to mail a document (the paperwork I did, earlier), and from there, I went to the pharmacy to pick up a medication refill.  

I noticed that the pharmacy had cereal on sale for $1.99 a box and I decided to pick up two more boxes of cereal.  With the coupons that I had already loaded onto my store card, the two boxes of cereal came to $1.37 for both, or, approximately $0.68 each.  I was happy with that price.

I was tired after I came home and took a very brief nap.  A short time later, neighbor S called and brought over a large piece of cake.  I ate a piece of it and froze the rest to share with my daughter when she visits, next.  

Friend R called in the evening and we had a chat.  Later, I chatted with my daughter; she had her medical procedure done in the afternoon and is recovering and taking it easy.

On Wednesday, I was grateful for:

- M's help with the garden
- Daughter is recovering well after her medical procedure
- My medication refill was available
- Neighbor S bringing me cake
- A safe drive to the post office and pharmacy and back

Wednesday's joyful activity was picking more peaches.  I had some with yogurt for brunch:

Peaches and Yogurt

Plans for Thursday include my doctor's appointment in the afternoon, some paperwork and filing, putting away some laundry, and continuing to put things back in the living room and dining area.

How is your week coming along?  What are your plans for Thursday?

June Meal Plans - Week 1 Review; Week 2 Plan

Lasagna and Salad

This was my meal plan for June, Week 1:

Brunches:  Milkrice, chicken curry and seeni sambol (Sunday; June 1)✔; Scrambled egg, bacon, fried potatoes or toast✔; French toast; Tuna or Egg salad sandwiches; Uppuma (Indian style cream of wheat), Salads;  leftovers

Dinners:  Sauteed chicken, green beans, carrots; Smoked sausage stir fry✔; Lasagna✔; Chicken curry with rice and lentils; leftovers/planned overs.

Snacks/desserts: Banana muffins, peaches, apples, granola bars, crackers with peanut butter or tuna salad

Sunday:

Brunch: Milkrice, chicken curry, seeni sambol; a piece of jaggery
Dinner: Lasagna and salad

Snacks/dessert: Fresh peaches, cashews. slice of bread with peanut butter

Monday:

Brunch: Milkrice, chicken curry, and seeni sambol
Dinner:  Lasagna
Snacks: Crackers, peaches, grapes

Tuesday:

Brunch: Leftover milkrice, chicken curry, and seeni sambol
Dinner: Leftover lasagna

Snacks: Peaches

Wednesday:

Brunch: Leftover lasagna
Dinner: Sauteed salmon, boxed wild rice mix, cucumber salad
Dessert: Peaches' Snacks: Cheetos, croissant

Thursday

Brunch: Croissants with leftover salmon and/or leftover salmon and rice

Dinner: Appa ("hoppers") and curries at cousin's house

Friday

Brunch: French bread rolls with canned corned beef (cooked with onions, tomatoes, chili powder, lemon, etc.)
Dinner: More bread rolls with corned beef
Snacks: Peaches, bananas, chocolate

Saturday

Brunch: Fried rice made with leftover corned beef, shredded lettuce, frozen corn and green peas, a scrambled egg, and peanuts

Dinner: Smoked sausage stir fry with broccoli and carrots; rice

Dessert: Peach cobbler

Peach Cobbler

Sunday:

Brunch: Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, peaches
Dinner: Leftover smoked sausage stir fry and rice (daughter), pepper steak sandwich (me)

Snacks/dessert: Cheetos, peach cobbler

Well, that didn't go exactly according to plan but, it worked out well enough.  No one went hungry and we enjoyed some good meals.

In addition, I cooked some food for daughter to take back with her - 2 beef shoulder steaks cut up and cooked with bell peppers and onions (what I am calling pepper steak), 2 beef shoulder steaks cut up and curried, sauteed mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflowers, carrots, and green beans), dhal curry, parsley mallung (finely shredded parsley sauteed with grated coconut, minced onions and garlic, green chilies, and turmeric, plus salt, of course).  And rice, Plus two curried pork chops and sliced ham that were already in the freezer.

I had taken out and thawed a package of what I thought were chicken thighs, but, which turned out to be a ham bone, so, I boiled that to make a broth which will be made into soup, later.  I had double bagged the ham bone, writing ham bone on the inner bag and reusing a washed freezer bag on which I had previously written "chicken thighs", which led to the confusion.  

Moving on to this week, here's the meal plan for June Week 2:

Brunches:  Rice, leftover sausage stir fry, dhal, and mallung (daughter, on Monday); rice, beef curry, dhal, and mallung (me, on Monday); yogurt with treacle and cashews; cereal with milk; peanut butter toast; French toast, scrambled eggs and toast

Dinners:  Bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and cucumber slices (Monday); pepper steak with mixed vegetables (Tuesday); rice, beef curry, lentils, and mallung; leftover lasagna and salad; leftovers

Snacks/Desserts: Fresh fruit, the last of the peach cobbler, Cheetos, crackers and peanut butter, granola bars, yogurt

Since I am posting this late on Tuesday night, I've already eaten Monday and Tuesday's meals.

Are you making a meal plan for this week?

The Weekend and Beyond

 

Lamb
Crocheted by Daughter

On Saturday, my daughter finished crocheting and assembling an amigurumi lamb for her friend's younger daughter and then, she crocheted a small teddy bear for the older daughter, so she wouldn't feel left out:

Teddy Bear

And made a card:

Card
(top cropped to hide name)

While she was busy, I did some sewing.  I had hoped to finish my sewing project on Saturday, but, I couldn't.  I really should have started on it, earlier, but, I was busy working on another sewing project which also took longer than I had thought:

New Sari Blouse

When I wore my sari to my late friend A's daughter's graduation, last month, I realized that, since I had lost some weight, the old sari blouse was too big!  I managed to temporarily fix it with safety pins, but, it was very obvious to me that I needed a new sari blouse.  So, I used some of the purple fabric I had recently purchased during the store closing sale and sewed myself a new sari blouse.  It involved a bit of trial and error as I needed to draft a new pattern and I couldn't get my dart points to meet, and I struggled with the sleeves, pinning them inside out and back to front, etc.  I am happy with the end result (even if the dart points are still uneven), but, it took longer than I had thought, which meant I didn't have enough time to work on the other project.  So, rather than rush and make mistakes, I decided to finish it later to be given as a birthday gift, later this month.

In addition to sewing, I did two loads of laundry, cleaned the bathtub, made fried rice for brunch, put back a couple of items in the living room (a table lamp as the room has no ceiling lights or wall lights, and a resin statue of a Bodhisattva that my sister had gifted to me many years ago), made a smoked sausage stir fry for dinner, made another "lazy" peach cobbler for dessert, called Aunt C and friend R to check on them, and ran the dishwasher.  And watched the TV coverage of the protests against ICE raids as they developed in downtown Los Angeles.  

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- Time spent working on craft projects 
- Working appliances
- Electricity to run the appliances
- Phone calls with family and friends
- Fresh peaches

Saturday's joyful activity was sewing and spending time with my daughter.

Church Interior

On Sunday, we were up early to go to my daughter's friend's baby's baptism.  My daughter and the baby's mother have been friends since high school and my daughter was one of the bridesmaids at her friend's wedding.  Her friend had asked my daughter to be her younger daughter's godmother and my daughter felt very honored by the request.  We had been asked to be at the church by 9:15 a.m. and we got there well before 9:00 a.m. and I sat at the back of the church and listened to the choir rehearse while we waited. 

The baby wore a white dress that my daughter had crocheted for her for the occasion and the service and baptism went well.  The baby looked surprised when the water was poured over her head, but, she didn't cry.  We were invited to lunch at a restaurant, afterwards, but, we declined and came home.

I made us scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast for brunch.  Daughter took a nap, afterwards, while I read a few blogs and then, started cooking some of the things I wanted to send back with daughter (beef curry, pepper steak with beef and bell peppers; mixed vegetable stir fry) and watched the news.  For dinner, daughter had leftover sausage stir fry and rice; I had a sandwich with some of the beef I cooked.

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- Being invited to attend the baby's baptism
- Some social activity
- A safe ride to the church and back
- Another opportunity to wear a sari (with a well-fitting blouse, this time)
- Spending time with my daughter

Sunday's joyful activity was attending the baby's baptism.

On Monday, daughter worked from home.  While she was busy, working, I did a little more cooking.  I made a mallung (cooked shredded greens) with the parsley I had bought, finely shredding the leaves and sauteing the shredded leaves with onions, grated coconut, green chilies, minced garlic, salt, and lemon juice.  Then, I made dhal with red lentils.  I froze most of it for my daughter to take back with her.  We had some of it for a late lunch, with freshly cooked rice and fresh peaches for dessert.

In the evening, after daughter finished work, I dropped her off at the airport.  On the way home, I put gas to the car.  I put just over 10 gallons and it came to $45.22.  After I came home, I did a load of laundry, ran a cleaning cycle on the washing machine, took the trash cans to the curb for pick up on Tuesday morning, and spoke with neighbor E, thanking him again for helping with the living room painting.  I also watered the indoor plants and cooked myself a bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries for dinner.  

Daughter reached her apartment safely and we chatted a little bit.  She will go into the office on Tuesday and maybe go to the grocery store afterwards to pick up some half and half for her coffee and a couple of other items.  

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- Daughter had a safe flight and ride back to her apartment
- I was able to send some cooked food and fresh peaches back with her
- A safe drive to the airport and back
- Gas for the car

- Fresh peaches

Monday's joyful activity was cooking food for daughter to take back with her.

Tuesday's To Do List:

- Bring in the emptied trash cans

- Pick up medication refill from the pharmacy
- Go to the bank

- Do another load of laundry, including my bed sheets

- Remake my bed

- Put away laundry

- Water the garden

- Look up driving directions to the specialist's appointment on Wednesday

- Pay bills/paperwork & filing

How was your weekend?  Did you have a good day on Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

More Grocery Shopping on Friday

 

Daylilies

Another of the daylily bulbs that M gave me is flowering.  I love the double colored blooms.

On Friday, I slept in, since I didn't have to wake up early.  In the afternoon, I went to the Armenian grocery store and did a little more grocery shopping, buying some beef shoulder steaks @ $5.49/lb. (I bought just over 2 lbs.), fruits and vegetables, bread rolls, and two cans of coconut water to share with my daughter.  I spent a total of $30.22.  Added to the $45.64 I already spent on Wednesday, that brings my June grocery spending to $75.86.

Grocery Receipt

Some of what I bought will be cooked and sent up with my daughter when she goes back on Monday.  She is scheduled to have a medical procedure done after she goes back and she asked me to prepare a few meals for her so she doesn't need to cook until she has had time to recover.  

I opened a can of corned beef and sauteed the contents with sliced onions, diced tomato, chili powder, and lemon juice, etc.  We used that as a sandwich filling for the bread rolls I bought for both our brunch and our dinner.

M was here in the evening to tend to the garden.  He brought me a new yellow chrysanthemum plant as a thank you gift for some jars of jam I had given him, earlier.  

Later, I did some sewing while daughter did some crocheting. 

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to sleep in!
- Being able to find some good prices on groceries at the ethnic grocery store
- A safe drive to the store and back
- M's help with the garden
- Fresh peaches

Friday's joyful activity was spending some time sewing and working on crafts projects with my daughter.

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

Daylilies and Scaredy Cat Flowers