Weekend Wrap Up

We've had some lovely weather, this weekend.  Sunny and warm (highs in the 90s).  But, my house tends to be on the cool side, so it's 68F inside, when I wake up, and I open the windows to let the warm air in to warm up the house.

On Saturday, I woke up feeling tired and achy.  I had felt achy on Friday, too, and eventually took a Tylenol to help.  It wasn't bad enough for Tylenol, on Saturday, but I didn't have the energy I needed to do all the things I had planned to do.  So...I decided to take it easy.  I did a load of laundry to help me feel like I did something, went for a short walk, took some pastries over to my cousin P, called cousin V, called another friend to remind her about the prayer gathering, read some blogs and commented on them, cleaned the litter box, cooked spicy "devilled" beef, exchanged emails with a friend, and video chatted with my daughter.

Dinner was some of the spicy beef with pita bread:

"Devilled" Beef and Pita

Later in the night, I decided to bake some cornbread.  Even though the daytime temperature is high, the evenings are cool and I have been doing a bit of baking to make up for a summer of not turning on the oven, if you haven't noticed. 

Cornbread

Breakfast on Sunday morning was a piece of cornbread:

Piece of Cornbread

Later in the morning, my neighbor T called for our weekly Sunday morning chat.  After that, I responded to an email one of my long-time friends had sent me.  We've been friends since 5th grade, I believe; the only friend from childhood with whom I've kept in touch on a regular basis.  

In the afternoon, I put away the dried laundry from yesterday and did the dishes.  I had been collecting them from Friday, in order to have enough to run the dish washer.  I still didn't have enough for a full load, but the dish washer needed to be run, because I haven't used it in about two weeks (I usually just wash each day's dishes by hand).

Then, I started to clean the kitchen: I cleared and wiped down the kitchen counters and the stove top; put all the empty jars I had washed and dried in a box to store in the garage until needed; cleaned the microwave; tidied up the cabinet where I store the Tupperware-type containers and wiped the shelf; refilled the bottle of dishwashing liquid; swept the kitchen; and took out the kitchen trash. Really need to tidy the rest of the kitchen cabinets, too, but that is not urgent.  I might do that after the prayer gathering is over. Need to mop the kitchen floor, too, but I didn't do it, today.

Later, I cleaned daughter's bathroom, which is also the visitor's bathroom.  It will need to be wiped down again, just before the prayer gathering, but it is cleaned. 

Finally, I watered the houseplants and changed the dust sheets on the family room sofas. 

Considering the fact that I wasn't feeling very motivated to clean, I think I did OK.  What happens is, I write a list of everything that needs to be done and then, it becomes overwhelming!  So much to do!  So little energy!  But then, when I tell myself, just do one baby step - just do the dishes, just wipe the small counter area, just the stove top, etc., I manage to get something done. 

Daughter's cell phone started to give her trouble, yesterday.  It wouldn't turn on at times.  When it did the same thing, this morning, too, I told her to go ahead and buy a new phone, I'll pay for it.   Her old phone is something she bought about 7 years go; she said the phone store offered her $5 for it for a trade-in! 

I wasn't hungry for any lunch, today.  So, I had a meal replacement drink.  But I had an appetite for dinner: rice, spicy beef, cabbage, and lentils.  I served the same for my lunch to take to the office, tomorrow.

Dinner

I am afraid I opened one of the passion fruit drinks I bought for the prayer gathering!  It's one of my favorite drinks and I knew I wouldn't be able to resist! 

Today, I am grateful for:
- A pleasant weekend
- Warm weather
- But cool enough to bake
- An email from my long-time friend
- A clean and tidy kitchen

I am going to post my do to lists, again, to help motivate me.

Monday To Do List:
- Put gas to the car
- Go to the office
- Put away washed dishes
- Do a load of laundry (sofa dust sheets)
- Tidy the spare bedroom
- Clear the dining table/put away sewing machine
- Empty the trash cans/waste baskets
- Take the big trash cans to the curb
- Water the garden

How was your weekend?  Did you accomplish most of what you wanted to do?  How do you motivate yourself to do cleaning and housework when you don't feel up to doing it?  What are your plans for Monday?

Shelftober - Week 2

I was able to continue with eating from the pantry and freezer in the second week of October, as well. (Shelftober Week 1 is here.)  But I had a hard time with a lack of appetite and not feeling like eating what I made. 

Sunday, 10/8:

Breakfast was half a bagel with butter and freshly picked feijoa from the garden.
Lunch was rice, fish curry, and sauted cabbage:

Rice, Fish Curry, Sauted Cabbage

Dinner was the other half of the bagel with peanut butter for protein.

Monday, 10/9:
Brunch: A banana, followed by half a bagel spread with peanut butter.
Dinner: I am not vegetarian, but I felt like having a vegetarian meal, so cooked some lentils to have with the cabbage I cooked the other day:

10/9 Dinner: Rice, Cabbage, Lentil Curry

Tuesday 10/10:
Breakfast - banana
Lunch - Fish curry, pita, grapes
Dinner - Egg and bacon rolls

Egg & Bacon Rolls

Wednesday, 10/11:
Breakfast - yogurt (brought in by former supervisor)
Lunch - Egg & Bacon rolls, grapes
Dinner - Fish pie - last of the fish, flaked, mixed with a few frozen green peas and a white sauce,  topped with mashed potato and baked for a few minutes.
Dessert:  Pistachio pudding using up a box of mix I had in the pantry.
Snacks: Puff pastry cheese twists

Thursday, 10/12
Breakfast - yogurt (more of what my former supervisor had brought in)
Lunch - Egg & Bacon rolls
Dinner - Fish pie, pistachio pudding
Snacks - apple slices, puff pastry cheese twists

Friday, 10/13
Brunch: tuna sandwich, apple
Dinner: pasta with manwich and meat sauce (from the freezer); grapes
Snacks: Wafer cookies with chocolate cream filling
Late night snack: Homemade potato chips!  I had a craving for potato chips, so, sliced the second of the two potatoes I had bought (had used one to make the mashed potato for the fish pies), and fried it.

Saturday, 10/14
Brunch: Half a bagel with butter
Dinner:  Spicy "devilled" beef:  marinated beef from the freezer, cut into strips, sauted with onions and green chilies, curry leaves, etc. 

Devilled Beef

That used up the last package of beef I had in the freezer.  I had it with a pita bread:

Pita Bread and Devilled Beef

Some pistachio pudding for dessert.
Snacks: Grapes, calamondin from the garden.

Calamondin on the tree

Calamondin Fruit

Calamondin are like miniature tangerines.  They are about the size of a kumquat, but round, not elongated.  They are very acidic.

Peeled Calamondin

I will continue with Shelftober, next week, as well.  At the end of the 2nd week of Shelftober, this is what I have left of the freezer inventory:

6 4 king fish steaks
 3 pieces of salted dried fish
2 packages (approx. 1/2 lb. each) of cooked ground beef
1 package bacon
1 package mini sausages ("Lil Smokies")
3 packages of marinated beef steak (uncooked)
1 package sausage meat
1 package sausages
1 chicken breast
2 quart bags, each with 1/4 roast chicken 
5 turkey pot pies
5 3 packages of frozen puff pastry squares
1 1/3 package of something called "ulundu vadai" which is an Indian/Sri Lankan savory snack
3 1/2 lb. butter
1 bag (5 lbs.) flour
1 package (2 lb) red rice
1 package grated coconut
1 banana bread
3 1/2 packages of sliced strawberries (for eventual jam making)
3 large bags of cooked cashews (for making curry)
1 bag of frozen green peas (new)
- several  one baggy of frozen tomato, sliced onions, some green chilies, etc.
Plus:
1 container manwich sauce
2 4 bananas
4 quart size zipper bags of bread slices
1 package smoked sausage and 2 whole chickens (for prayer gathering dinner)

Friday the 13th!

On Friday, I called the Sears billing services to inquire about the statement I received.  According to their customer service, payment hadn't been received.  They suggested I called the bank to see if the check cleared.  So, I called the bank and, yes, the check cleared two days after it was issued.  I got some additional information and called the billing services, again.  This time, I got a really nice person who looked up my account information and asked me if I had another account with them.  Yes, I do; I have a regular store account and their credit card.  The purchase had been made on the credit card.  Well, guess what?  The payment had been applied to the other account!  Why?  I didn't have an outstanding balance on the store account.  Human error, I guess.  I don't know.  I have to admit that I didn't verify that the payment was applied to the correct account when I went to pay the bill - I just assumed the cashier would apply the payment to the account specified in the statement!  Next time, if there is a next time, I will ask them to verify the payment was applied to the proper account!  Anyway, I was transferred to customer service and the person I spoke to assured me that the correction is being made and they will waive any late fees, etc.  Yes, please.

I have one other bill I need to call about, from one of the doctors' offices, but I am waiting till Monday, on that.  I can only handle one bill at a time.


On Friday, I was grateful for:
- Managed to get the bill and payment straightened out
- Helpful customer service people
- Tylenol for aches and pains
- My gardener friend tidying up the back garden for me
- Chatting with my daughter

Plans for Saturday include some housework, laundry, grocery shopping, and some cooking.

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

Thursday's Review

This week is going by very quickly, for me.  On Monday, I had a holiday and spent some time tying my quilt.  I had help, of course:

Dancer Helps to Tie the Quilt

There are, I think, at least two balls of yarn under my bed, thanks to my helper!

I ran into a bit of a problem with the tying of the quilt.  I am tying it in the corners of the blocks and while the yarn goes through the quilt (comforter) part without any difficulty, the quilt top has several thicknesses of fabric at the corners because of all the seams and it is hard to pull the eye of the needle with two strands of yarn through the 3 or 4 thicknesses of fabric.  I managed to tie all around the borders, but I am struggling with the rest.  The comforter is prequilted, so the tying is not that necessary.  I am wondering whether to "tie" with buttons sewn on with thread, instead.  Or just sew a stitch or two in each corner and leave it at that, without trying to tie with the yarn.  I got frustrated and put the quilt away because my fingers were cramping, I was pricking myself with the needle, and my hand was hurting from the effort! 

Tuesday, I did the grocery shopping and some baking - the egg and bacon rolls:

Egg & Bacon Rolls

 

Wednesday, I went to the office; my former supervisor had been in the office on Tuesday and brought apples and yogurt cups for everyone and there were enough leftover for me to have an apple and a yogurt for breakfast.  In the evening, I made fish pies for dinner:

Fish Pie

Made with the last of the cooked fish, some green peas, a white sauce, and mashed potatoes.  There was enough filling and mashed potatoes to make two small individual pies.

On Thursday, I went to the office and had a productive day.  I met with my new supervisor and updated her about my current projects so she knows what I am working on.  I think we had a good meeting.  

When I came home, I found a bill from Sears for the refrigerator/freezer I had bought in September.  I had purchased it using my Sears store credit card in order to get the discount (I wanted to pay it with a check, but was told I wouldn't get the discount if I did that).  When I received the bill, payment due at the beginning of October, I went to the store and paid it off in full before the end of September..  I have the cancelled check and the receipt, both stapled to the bill by the cashier who processed my payment.  So, why am I getting another bill now?  Stating that my payment is overdue?  And charging me a late payment fee?  This is why I hate charging anything on a credit card, even if I pay it off in full when I get the statement.  And why I always insist on paying in person, rather than mailing in a payment (and having that go astray).  Sigh.  So now, I will have to call the billing services and ask what is going on.  I am not too worried because I know I have proof of payment; but I still find it stressful to have to deal with this double billing.  I had intended to purchase a new washer and dryer from them, this past weekend, but now, I am glad I waited.  I don't know if I want to buy anything else from them, if they can't credit a payment to the proper account without double billing me!

I had the second fish pie for dinner and some pistachio pudding for dessert.  An apple for a snack.

Today, I am grateful for:
- A good meeting with my new supervisor
- Yogurt and apples from my former supervisor
- I have the cancelled check and receipt to show as proof of payment of the fridge/freezer
- Video chatting with my daughter
- Safe commutes to work and back

How has your week progressed?  Have you been billed twice for something you've already paid in full?  What would you do with this second bill I've received? 

Egg and Bacon Rolls

Yesterday, I made some egg and bacon rolls.

I had pre-cooked bacon in the freezer and the frozen puff pastry.  I hard boiled 3 eggs and cut them in quarters (one quarter was bigger and I cut that in half, again).  Cut the bacon into pieces and cut the squares of thawed puff pastry in halves.

Then, it was a matter of placing a piece of egg and bacon in the middle of a piece of puff pastry:

Place piece of egg and bacon on puff pastry

The first time I made these, I used raw bacon which I wrapped around the piece of egg.  I found that made the pastry too oily as the bacon fat rendered.  Since then, I've always cooked the bacon, first.

 Wet the edges of the pastry with water and roll up:

Roll up the pastry to enclose the egg and bacon

Then, press the ends closed with the tines of a fork to seal them:

 

Seal the ends

I brushed the pastry with some milk; an egg wash would have given a shinier glaze, but I didn't make enough rolls to use up a whole egg, so used a bit of milk, instead.  Then, baked at 375F for about 20 minutes or so, until they puffed up and browned.

 

Baked Egg and Bacon Rolls

I made 13 rolls, altogether, and was left with one and a half puff pastry squares.  I brushed the top with a bit of the milk, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese and chili powder, cut into strips and twisted them:

Cheese Twists Ready for Baking

They were baked for about 15 minutes:

Baked Cheese Twists

They make a nice snack.

I had some of the egg and bacon rolls for dinner, last night, and took some to the office for lunch, today.  The rest are in the fridge for lunches during the rest of the week.

Have you made eggs and bacon rolls, before?  If not, is this something you might consider making?

October Grocery Shopping: Week 2-Part 2

Silk FlossTree(Ceiba speciosa) in Bloom at the Grocery Store Parking Lot

Isn't it pretty?  There are thorns all over the trunk and branches, but the flowers are lovely, and later, they form pods that are filled with fluffy white fibers that help disperse the seeds.  It is related to the kapok trees which are very common in Sri Lanka (we use the fibers of the kapok as stuffing in pillows and cushions). 

Close Up of the Flowers

I didn't go grocery shopping on Sunday, as planned.  Instead, I went shopping today (Tuesday).  I went to two stores, the Armenian store (Store 1) and Ralphs, which is a Kroger affiliate chain of supermarkets (Store 2).  At each store, I bought some things for my personal consumption and some items for the prayer gathering.

10/10 Regular Groceries

Store 1:
Mostly for the prayer gathering:
10 lb. bag of basmati rice = $9.49*
3 27 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, $1.69@ =  $5.07**
2.81 lb. brown onions, @$.20/lb.  = $.56
Subtotal = $15.12

Regular groceries:
1 celery @3/$1.00 = $.34
1 lb. bag carrots @2/$.79  = $.40
1 lb. potatoes @3lb/$1.00 = $.33
2.29 lb. red grapes @$.99/lb = $2. 27
Green beans @$1.69/lb = $.51
Subtotal = $3.85

Store 1 total = $18.97

Store 1 receipt:

10/10 Store 1 Receipt

* The bag of rice is for personal consumption, as well, and for the year end almsgiving, as well.  I might use all of 1 lb. for the prayer gathering, and I could allocate $1 of the cost to the prayer gathering and another $1 to the almsgiving budget and the remaining $7.49 to the regular budget.  But, then again, I am planning to use a package of the cashews I have in the freezer (about 1 lb. @$.799/lb) and 2 of the packets of flan mix ($1.09@) I have in the cabinets, and curry powder and spices I already have.  I think it all evens out.  In previous years, I would just add the prayer gathering budget to the regular grocery budget and not keep the accounts separate, the way I am doing now, partly for this very reason.

**I could have bought a bag of dried garbanzo beans, as well, and it would have been cheaper ($1.85/lb).  But dried garbanzo require soaking overnight and boiling and I know, from previous years, that no matter how much I plan ahead, I tend to get a bit rushed on the day of the event.  Especially since the temple is also having a religious festival on the same day as the prayer gathering and I have planned to make a cashew curry to take to that as my contribution to the temple lunch.  So, the canned garbanzo beans will be a convenience food and time saver.  All I will have to do is saute the onions and other spices and add the canned garbanzo. 

10/10 Prayer Gathering Items

Store 2:

Mostly for the prayer gathering:
2 containers passion fruit juice cocktail, $2.39@ less $.80 coupon on purchase of 2 = $3.98
3 air fresheners, $.99@ less $.60 coupon on purchase of 3 = $2.37 + $.28 sales tax = $2.65
Subtotal =  $6.63


Regular groceries:
1 12 oz. bag frozen green peas @$1.00 less $1.00 off coupon = $0
1/2 gal. milk = $1.99
4 ct. fruit cups = $1.99***
2 cans condensed milk, $1.79@ less $1.00 off coupon on purchase of 2 = $2.58
Subtotal = $6.56

*** I had a coupon for $.40 off, which I handed to the cashier, but she was distracted because the customer before me had forgotten and left part of her purchases behind and she was telling the bagger about it and wondering what to do; apparently she forgot to deduct it and although I checked my receipt at the store, I didn't notice it until just now.  Oh, well.

Store 2 receipt:

10/10 Store 2 Receipt

I bought 2 bags of cat food, as well, at $8.99 @, plus sales tax ($1.71) = $19.69

Store 2 total = $32.88 - $19.69 (for cat food) =  $13.19


October Prayer gathering budget = $300

Spent to date:

9/18:  $4.49 for smoked sausage
9/27: $1.29 for 2 cans of mixed nuts
10/4: $10.97 for 2 whole chickens

10/7: $2.06 for 1 dozen eggs and 2 boxes of mint chocolates
10/10:   $15.12 + $6.63 = $21.75
Spent to date:  $40.56

October regular grocery budget = $53

So far, I have spent $4.13 + $1.98 + $.61 + $5.94 + $12.04 + $3.85 + $6.56 = $35.11
Balance left in the budget = $53 - $35.11 = $17.89

How is your October grocery shopping coming along?

Dancer Kitty Sleeps on the Job!

I am trying to tie my quilt and Dancer, as usual, came to "help" me.  His helping means I can't spread the quilt all the way on the bed! 

 But, I caught him sleeping on the job!

 

Caught Napping!

 I suppose I should be thankful he's sleeping and not pouncing on the yarn!

"If I cover my eyes, Mummy can't see me!"

(Actually, he's shielding his eyes from the glare, as he's facing the window).


A few minutes later:

"Oh, did you want me off the bed, Mummy?  OK, I'll sleep on the quilt; it's more comfortable"

Thank you for helping, Dancer.  :)