On Tuesday

 

The Plumbago Shrub

The plumbago shrub is trying to take over the back garden!  I had asked M to trim it back at the end of last year and here's how it looked in January 2025, when it was starting to leaf out again:

Plumbago Shrub in January 2025

It has grown at least three feet forward since then.  There is a lantana plant buried somewhere in there, as well!  LOL.  I am sure we will be cutting it back again, this fall.

I finished cleaning my bedroom, on Tuesday.  I dusted and tidied the dressing table and the bookshelves and cleaned the window and the windowsill.  I would like to tidy the closet a bit, too, but, that's a task for another day.

I also brought in the emptied trash bins, took out the kitchen compost (didn't fall!), and did a small load of laundry.

I have to report for jury duty in person, tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.  At least I won't have to wake up super early and fight the morning traffic.  But, I am not planning to do much either before or after jury duty.  Such things tire me out these days.

I had cereal and milk for brunch, snacked on the leftover spicy potatoes, and had ramen noodles for dinner.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- What I was able to accomplish
- Weekly trash collections
- Working appliances
- Daughter has some helpful friends and co-workers helping her with the move
- An opportunity to do my civic duty.

Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.  

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

Starting the Last Week in July

 

Butternut Squash Vines

Can you believe that we are in the last week of July?  The month is going very fast, I feel.

Butternut Squash 

On Sunday, I decided to make a start on tidying my bedroom.  I started with the smallest, least cluttered piece of furniture, my bedside table/nightstand.  It has two drawers which are fairly organized that I didn't need to sort through.  The top drawer has my medications, my phone charger, and some extra medicated creams/pain relievers, etc.  The bottom drawer holds my blood pressure monitor, my blood sugar monitor, a heating pad, etc.  So, I only needed to dust and tidy the top.  Which I did, including wiping down the shade and bulb on the table lamp.  

There were two pieces of paper that I needed to recycle.  But, brown grocery bag I use to hold papers for recycling was rather full.  It needed to be emptied into the big recycling bin that is outside. The bag of recycling  kitchen items (cans, bottles, etc.) was also full and I decided to take the kitchen trash out, too.  So, I collected all three bags, and the bag of litter box cleanings that I had placed outside the sliding glass door and made a trip to the trash and recycling bins.  

On the way there, I noticed that the garden cats' water bowl needed refilling.   So, on the way back, I refilled the water bowl and, since I had the garden hose in my hand, I went ahead and watered the blueberry bushes that were right there, and the tomato plant, and the newly planted corn and, before I knew it, I had watered the entire back garden, all the while holding on to the now emptied brown grocery bag I use to hold papers for recycling!  LOL.  45 minutes later, I went back into the house to continue with my bedroom tidying.  And this is why I don't make a lot of progress when I tidy and organize.  

My next task in the bedroom was finding homes for the stack of yarn and fabric and other craft supplies that were kept in boxes near my bed.  I had found storage for some of the yarn, earlier, but, there was more yarn and all that fabric we bought on sale when the fabric store was going out of business.  The dresser drawers in the spare bedroom, where I store fabric, were already full and the yarn bin was full, too.  I sorted the yarn and the fabric into two boxes, but, before I could store them in the spare bedroom, I had to shift things and make room in the spare bedroom!  

As I told one of my friends, it was like playing a game of Tetris!  But, eventually, I made room for the box of yarn and the box of fabric.  While I did that, the robot vacuum cleaned my bedroom floor.  I also wiped the top of the chest of drawers where I have set up a small altar.  There was nothing to declutter there; I just took everything off, dusted, and put everything back in place.

On Monday, I didn't have to go for jury duty in person. So, I continued with tidying my bedroom.  I decided to focus on my desk.  The top of the desk is a real magnet for clutter.  Any time the rest of the house has to be cleared very quickly, such as when company comes, I gather everything and dump it on top of the desk in my bedroom.  And there the items stay and multiply!  I removed all the piles of paper and sorted them into piles by category. They have not been filed, yet, but, they are now separated into file folders and the files are contained in a bin.  The top of the desk was dusted and there's even some empty desk surface to be seen.  There are three baskets of sewing supplies, too, that are sitting on the desk, but that is to be sorted another day.

I also collected at least a dozen cardboard boxes of assorted sizes and broke them all up and filled the recycling bin with them.  The trash can and the recycling bin have been taken out to the curb to be collected on Tuesday morning.  

In between sorting out the papers, I had a long chat with Aunt C and a shorter chat with friend R and video chatted with my daughter.  I cooked some spicy sauteed potatoes with the last of the potatoes because I had been wanting some spicy potatoes and I had some of that as a snack.  Brunch had been cereal and milk; dinner was half a bread roll with salmon.  Snacks included cream cheese coffee cake and the spicy potatoes.  I also made myself a glass of fresh lemonade.  

In the evening, I called to check if I need to report for jury duty on Tuesday and was told I didn't have to.  But, I have to call again, on Tuesday evening to see if I need to go in on Wednesday.

Plans for Tuesday include continuing to clean my bedroom (need to finish tidying the desk and dust the dressing table).  

On Monday, I am grateful for:

- Progress being made in tidying the bedroom
- Phone chats and exchanging emails with family and friends
- Garden produce
- Working appliances
- Pleasant weather

Joyful activities have included spending time in the garden.

Another Butternut Squash

July Week 4 Meal Plan Options Review and July Week 5 Meal Plan Options

These were the meal plan options for July Week 4:  

Brunches: Egg salad sandwiches; tuna salad on crackers or toast; uppuma (again; I enjoyed it when I made it earlier); burritos (from the freezer); waffles or pancakes; leftovers

Dinners: Rice and curries (salmon curry, dhal, moringa curry, tomato chutney); fried rice; hamburger patty with salad and corn; ramen noodles/soup; leftovers.

Snacks/Desserts: Fruit, crackers with peanut butter, yogurt and granola, dry cereal, chocolate cake

And here's how that worked out:

Monday:
Brunch: Tuna sandwich
Dinner : Rice and the last of the jalapeno chicken
Snacks/Desserts: Strawberries, cereal (dry), chocolate

Tuesday:
Brunch: Uppuma
Dinner: Egg salad sandwich
Snacks/Desserts: Cherries, toast and butter, cereal(dry)

Wednesday:
Brunch: Uppuma
Dinner: Egg salad on toast
Snacks/Desserts: Strawberries, peanut butter and crackers

Thursday:
Brunch: Bread, butter, and banana
Dinner: Beef steak and bread
Snacks/Desserts:  Chocolate milk, cream cheese coffee cake

Friday:
Brunch: Bread and beef steak sandwich
Dinner: Bread and butter
Snacks/Desserts: Cream cheese coffee cake

Saturday:
Brunch: Bread and butter, banana
Dinner: Pork fried rice
Snacks/Desserts: Cream cheese coffee cake

Sunday:

Brunch: Cream cheese coffee cake
Dinner: Rice, salmon, tomato chutney
Snacks: Nectarine/chocolate

I went completely off the meal plan after I went grocery shopping on Thursday!  But, that's okay.  

Moving on to the last week of July - daughter comes home on Friday night and I plan to order some groceries earlier that day to have half and half, etc., on hand for her morning coffee.  I have salmon already cooked and frozen for Friday night's dinner and there will be leftovers for at least one other meal.  I will also need to buy more chicken and meat, depending on the grocery ads and what's on sale.

These are my meal plan options:.  

Brunches: Bolillo roll sandwiches - fillings of tuna salad, egg salad or scrambled eggs, or canned corned beef; milkrice on Friday (August 1), leftover milkrice, cereal and milk

Dinners: Rice and salmon with tomato chutney, broccoli or sauteed beans; rice and chicken curry with dhal and beets; beef pepper steak with vegetables and rice; Breakfast for dinner (?), ramen noodles soup; leftovers; maybe patties if I feel up to making them, or something different!

Snacks/Desserts: Fruit, bread pudding, cereal, crackers and peanut butter, granola bars, cake, yogurt

As always, I am grateful for:

- Having enough and plenty to eat
- Having a variety of food to eat
- Having a choice of what to eat
- Refrigerators and freezers to help preserve the food

How about you?  Will you be making a meal plan this week?

On Saturday

 

Fried Rice for Dinner

On Saturday, I went to the pharmacy to pick up one of my medication refills that was ready.  Afterwards. I went next door to the dollar store to get a box of quart sized zippered food storage bags as I had finished the box I had been using.   

After that, I spent a relatively relaxed day.  I spent some time tidying up the family room and cleaning the kitchen.  The room I really need to tidy is my bedroom, but, I've been procrastinating on that!  I also did a bit of reading and watched some online videos.  

Brunch was bread and butter with a banana.  For dinner, I made some fried rice, using the last few pieces of the barbecue pork from my Chinese take out.  

Daughter is busy packing up her boxes and moving them, with the help of some friends, to the moving box/container which is located at a warehouse in a neighboring city (you have the option of having the container delivered to your residence, but, there is no where for it to be parked in front of daughter's apartment building and they will not deliver to the underground parking garage).  

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- My medication refills being available
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- Daughter is making progress with her packing
- Her friends are helping her to move the boxes to the moving box/container
- A fairly relaxed day

Saturday's joyful activities included reading and tending to my indoor plants.

No big plans for Sunday, but, I would really like to get my bedroom organized!

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

Towards the End of the Week

 

Pomegranate Forming

On Wednesday, the vet called with Dancer's blood test results.  Everything seems to be under control, she said, and she will keep his medications at the same dosage.  She asked how his appetite was because he is still losing weight.  I said he is being a bit picky and I've been coaxing him to eat.  She suggested trying an appetite stimulant, an ointment to be applied to the inside of his ear.  

On Thursday, the vet's office called to let me know that the appetite stimulant ointment was ready for pick up.  So, in the afternoon, I went to the vet's clinic and picked up the ointment.  

Then, on the way home, I stopped at the supermarket to pick up bread and milk.  This time, they had the half gallons of whole milk ($2.99), but, only one very sad looking loaf of store brand sandwich bread!  I bought whole wheat bolillo bread rolls, instead; a bag of 6 rolls for $3.00; if I have to report to jury duty next week, the rolls can be sandwiched with a filling and be taken for my lunches.  I also bought a "baked in-store" loaf of French bread which looked (and tasted) delicious for $2.99.  In addition, I bought two bananas ($0.65/lb.) and a cream cheese coffee cake for a treat (a bit of a splurge at $6.00); that's the problem with grocery shopping in person - I get tempted by treats at the bakery!  But, the good thing about shopping in person is one gets to find marked down bargains.  In the meat department, I checked the marked down meats and found a package of two thinly sliced beef shoulder steaks, just under half a pound in weight, regular price with a store loyalty card at $7.74, marked down to $3.74 for a quick sale.  I thought that was a good bargain and bought it.  I spent a total of $18.85 at the grocery store.  I now have just under $3 ($2.91 to be exact) left in my July grocery budget!

I kept the beef to marinate with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, and Worcestershire sauce and cooked it with onions and home-grown tomatoes.  I froze one steak, ate a piece of the second steak with some French bread for my dinner, and kept the rest of the piece in the fridge.  I seem to have gone off my meal plan, this week, but, I'm not going to worry too much about that!

In addition, I did a load of laundry and remade my bed with freshly washed sheets.  Dancer helped, as usual.  And then, he took a nap on the bed to try out the fresh sheets!  LOL.

On Friday, the pharmacy called to let me know that Dancer's thyroid medication was ready for pick up.  So, I went to the pharmacy to collect it and came home directly.  Gardener friend M was here in the evening to tend to the garden.  We picked more tomatoes and lemons, he watered the garden for me, and he also nailed the part of the gutter that was coming down along the side of the house.  It might be a temporary fix; we shall see how well it holds up when it rains, later in the year.  

I am grateful for:

- Dancer's blood test results were good
- His medications are available
- Bargains at the grocery store
- M's help with the garden and other things around the house
- Tomatoes and lemons from the garden  

Joyful activities have included spending time in the garden, video chatting with my daughter, and reading.

Plans for the weekend include some cleaning and tidying.  

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

Grocery Ads

 

Grocery Ad for June 25-July 1, 2025

The weekly grocery ads usually get delivered to my mailbox or email box (for the big supermarket) on Tuesdays as the prices go into effect from Wednesday through Tuesday.  I love to look at the grocery ads, as I try to shop the weekly specials and stock up when there's a good deal.  I shop first and then, meal plan based on what I buy.

Above  is a photo of the grocery ad from one of the ethnic stores I like to shop at, showing the week's specials for the week of June 25 through July 1, 2025 (Wednesday to Tuesday).  Check the price of salmon fillets, on sale (or on offer, if you prefer) for $7.99/lb.  I bought some salmon at that price that week, as a special treat, because my daughter was home on a visit.  

Below is a photo of the grocery ad from the same store for this week (July 23 through July 29, 2025:

Grocery Ad for July 23-28, 2025

Ignore the top picture of the beef tomahawk steak.  Focus on the salmon fillets shown in the middle row.  The same picture as the one shown in last month's ad, just a bit smaller, but, notice the price!  It has increased from $7.99/lb. to $8.99/lb., or $1.00 more.

That is one whole dollar more per pound in just one month!  Now, I'll be the first to admit that math is not my strong point and I might be mistaken (and please correct me if I am wrong), but, I think that comes out to be a 12.5% increase in price!  In one month!  

In comparison, the big chain supermarket is having salmon fillets on sale (or, on offer) for $9.99/lb. this week.  So, it's still less expensive at the ethnic store.

This is not a rant.  At least, I don't intend it to be a rant, if only because I don't usually rant.  But, still, I am trying to come to terms with the price increase.  How can one keep up with such steep price increases?  A price book doesn't help much when prices increase so much in a very short period of time.

We are told to eat fish at least three times a week because it is good for us and salmon is considered one of the best fish in terms of omega fats and such.  But, it is difficult when the recommended as "good for you" items are priced so high that people almost can't afford it, at least not on a regular basis.  It becomes a luxury, then, an occasional treat.  Food that is supposed to be good for you should not be something that can be had only as an occasional treat.  It needs to be priced so that people can afford to buy it on a regular basis. 

Frozen salmon is an alternative and the price at the supermarket varies from $14.99 for a 2 lb. package (or $7.50/lb.) for store brand wild caught pink salmon to $9.99 for a 1.25 lb. package of a branded salmon, to $22.99 for a 2 lb. package (or $11.50/lb.) for store brand farm-raised Atlantic salmon. The ethnic store doesn't carry frozen fish.

I buy salmon as an occasional treat and I tend to buy the fresh salmon because my daughter prefers it (she says she can taste the difference between fresh and previously frozen; my palate isn't quite as discerning).  She doesn't mind salmon I've cooked and then frozen.  

I bought salmon steaks, which cost less per pound than fillets, when it was on sale at $5.99/lb., over the weekend, so I am not planning to buy salmon fillets, this week.  And the price of salmon steaks stayed the same at $5.99 as when they were on sale at the beginning of June.  So, it does help to pay attention to sale prices and recognize a bargain.  I bet, though, that the next time salmon steaks go on sale, the price per pound will increase! 

At least the price of eggs have come down to $4.49/doz. at the supermarket (from a high of $9.99/doz.)  Be thankful for small mercies, Bless.

I had thought I'd go to the supermarket to buy bread and milk, today (Wednesday), but, the store website shows that they are out of whole milk, which I prefer.  So, I'll wait another day or two. Incidentally, there were a few empty bins and shelves at the ethnic store when I went on Sunday - they were out of cauliflower and a couple of other vegetables, and most kinds of bread. The empty bread shelves reminded me of the last time I grocery shopped before the first Covid lockdown.

I am grateful for:

- The availability of groceries
- Having enough to eat
- The price of salmon steaks didn't increase 
- Still being able to manage my grocery budget to include the occasional treat of a "good for you" item! 
- Home grown tomatoes (picked one ripe Berkeley tie dye tomato, today)

Do you buy salmon?  If so, what price do you pay?  Have you seen a price increase since the last time you purchased any?  Do you think I succeeded in not ranting? 

Starting a New Week

 

Nectarine

On Monday, I picked this nectarine from the tree.  It looks perfect, doesn't it?  But, looks can be deceiving:

Not Quite Perfect

It looks like some insect tried to bore into it.  Oh, well, this is what happens when you grow things organically, without spraying your fruit.  At least the birds didn't eat it before I picked it.  

Last year, we had about 9 or 10 nectarines.  This year, the nectarine tree didn't set many fruits.  Only this one and possibly one other that is still forming.  Needless to say, I am disappointed.  

On Monday, I did some paperwork in the morning and then, took Dancer to the vet clinic for his arthritis injection, thyroid panel (the vet wanted to check if the new dosage of medication was helping), and have his claws trimmed.  The last time I got a professional manicure done was back in July 2018!  

Dancer was very good on this trip to the vet clinic.  He had been sleeping when I picked him up to give him his sedative and in his sleepy state, I was able to give him the full dose before he realized what was happening.  I also made sure to give him the medication one full hour before we left the house, and not one hour prior to his appointment time.  Those extra 20 minutes or so really helped.  He protested a bit when he realized that he was in his carrier and when he was first put into the car, but, he settled down soon after that.  And he didn't hyperventilate or drool or throw up or mess up on the way there and back.  He was a very good boy!

Once we arrived home, I waited a few minutes to make sure he was okay.

Then, I went to the post office to mail something and went to the library to return two books.  One book was due on the day and the other one wasn't, but, I wanted to return them both and have one less thing to remember to do.   Besides, I'll be busy this week and I might have to report for jury duty next week; I have to call on Sunday evening to find out if I need to report in person on Monday.

Later in the evening, I watered the back garden (which was when I picked the nectarine), cleaned out the fridge, and took the trash cans to the curb.

Today, (Tuesday), I brought in the emptied trash cans, checked the new grocery ads, did a load of laundry, watered the indoor plants, and received an e-book that I had put a hold on through the library.  There had been 7 people waiting for this book (on decluttering) before me, so, I didn't anticipate I'd receive it as soon as I did (within a week of requesting it).  I've already started to read it.  This person has decluttering videos posted online and I've watched them, so I thought I'd read her book, as well.  

Later in the afternoon, I went out to the backyard to take the kitchen compost to the compost heap, tripped on something, and fell!  I had just been thinking that I haven't fallen recently!  It knocked the wind out of me, but, I was okay.  Not hurt.  I did lie there for a minute before I sat up and then tried to get up.  I had seen a video where you are encouraged to get up on one knee, bend the other leg and rest your foot on the ground with that knee raised. put your weight on the raised knee to lever yourself up.  Well, I tried that, but the leg I was kneeling on wouldn't move!  Eventually, I just put both hands on the ground and levered myself up like that.  I did have my cell phone with me and if all else failed, I would have called M as he has a key to my gate and sat there in the garden until he could come and help me up.  I might have had to wait a long time, though.  Thank goodness I didn't hurt myself, although I might have a bruise or two, tomorrow.

I am grateful for:

- I didn't hurt myself when I fell
- I was able to get up on my own
- Dancer had a good trip to the vet clinic and back on Monday
- Libraries and being able to borrow books and other material through them
- Working appliances
- Water for the garden
- Nectarines from the garden

Joyful activities have included reading, watching online videos, and relaxing.

Plans for Wednesday include maybe another load of laundry, booking the car for a routine service, more paperwork, tending to the garden with M, and maybe going to the grocery store for bread and milk.  I finished the last of the bread tonight, when I had an egg salad sandwich for my dinner.

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