Sunny Wednesday

Broccoli Harvest

We harvested the broccoli, today!  There were two stalks (heads?) of broccoli - this one and a smaller one on another plant.  I gave the smaller one to M and he ate it right then and there and declared it to be delicious!  LOL.  I brought my one inside and washed it, then, put it in a vase of water.  I will cook it tomorrow.

In addition to the broccoli, I harvested a handful of snow peas.  And we planted the sweet potato I had rooted.  

It was a sunny day with an afternoon high of almost 70F.  I walked again, for a total of 20 minutes, with a brief rest after 15 minutes.  

I spent the afternoon knitting and watching videos.  Later, I watched news and chatted with friend R; still later, I video chatted with my daughter.

Brunch was an egg salad sandwich; dinner was rice, chicken curry, and mango curry.  I had a fruit salad for dessert, made with a banana, half a large apple, two mandarin oranges, a handful of raisins, and some cashews.  There's leftover fruit salad for tomorrow, as well.  I didn't write down a meal plan, this week, but, I had taken out a packet of frozen chicken curry, earlier in the week, and I think I will make a stir fry, tomorrow, with leftovers for another couple of meals.  It should work out just fine.

On Wednesday, I was grateful for:

- The broccoli harvest!
- M's help with the garden
- A warmer afternoon
- Time to relax
- Being able to video chat with my daughter

Wednesday's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for Thursday include doing some laundry and more knitting.  

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

The Lizard's Tail Or Dancer's New Toy

Pink Rose

The post title should give a clue as to what is to follow, so, consider yourself fore warned!

Tuesday was mostly cloudy and cool.  Our afternoon high was in the low 60s, but, the morning felt chilly to me and I spent the morning in front of the electric space heater.

I didn't feel like going for a walk, but, eventually, I got myself off the sofa, put on a light jacket (as recommended by the weather forecast), brought the empty trash bins in, and walked for 20 minutes.  The hip pain (not a sharp pain, more like an ache) made itself felt after about 15 minutes of walking and after 18 minutes, I sat down for a minute or so to rest.  Then, walked for another 2 minutes.  There was a time when I'd get the hip pain after 8 minutes of walking, so I was happy that I could walk for 15 minutes before the ache started.

I keep the front metal door closed when I walk, but, the inner wooden door is left open to air out the house a bit.  There is a small space at the bottom, between the bottom of the metal door and the threshold; a gap of about one inch.

After I finished my walk, I had my brunch (the last yogurt dough flat bread and chicken curry) and sat down on the living room sofa to knit while I watched some videos of a show where they try to determine if various works of art that are owned by individuals are authentic pieces done by famous artists or fakes.  The living room sofa is my favorite place to sit on winter/spring afternoons, because the afternoon sun streaming through the west facing window makes it the warmest spot in the house.  

After some time, I heard a commotion in the family room, a sort of thud.  Dancer has been having some trouble jumping up onto things, lately, as his hind legs are not strong enough.  These days, he pulls himself up on his front paws.  I cover the piano stool and the sofas to protect them from his fur, but, occasionally, the covers slip off when he tries to pull himself up on to the furniture.  On Monday, for example, the cover on the piano stool came off and he fell down with the cover.  He was fussed over and petted and given a spoon of tuna to make up for the indignity of falling off the piano stool and he was fine.

But, when I heard the noise, today, I went to check on him, thinking he might have fallen.  I found him behind one of the sofas, where there was a small gap between the wall and the sofa.  He often likes to lie on top of the sofa back...did he try to perch on the sofa back and slip off?

"Dancer did you fall?"

He didn't appear to have fallen; in fact, he seemed rather engrossed with something!  At first, I didn't see what was fascinating him, but, then, I spotted a movement!  Eek! 

OK, if you are squeamish, don't read or look anymore!  

Dancer's New Toy (A Lizard's Tail)

A lizard must have crept in through the gap under the metal screen door while I was out walking!  Dancer must have spotted it and tried to pounce on it.  Obviously, it left its tail behind and ran away!  The tail was twitching and squirming and Dancer was distracted enough by it to let the lizard get away!

First I took the pictures.  Then, I swept up the tail and tossed it outside.  Now I am left with the thought that there might be a tail-less lizard hiding somewhere inside my house!  I do hope that it will find its way out, again!

However, I am not bothered by the idea that there's a lizard in the house.  I grew up in a place where house lizards or geckos were common.  They'd catch mosquitos and flies and were considered to be quite harmless.  As a child, I would be given an ekel (the rib of the fronds of coconut palms) with a grain of cooked rice at the end of it and lifted up to feed the geckos.  It was one of the ploys my parents used to get me to eat because I was a fussy eater - I'd feed the geckos and my mother would feed me!  One grain of rice for the gecko, one spoon of rice for me.  Most of the time, the gecko wouldn't eat the grain of rice being offered to it and then, I'd be fed another spoon of rice and told to show the gecko how to eat!  LOL. 

The house geckos made a distinct sound, a bit like a soft click, and the superstition was that if you were stepping out of the house to go on a journey and the gecko made its clicking noise, then, that was a bad omen and you should postpone the trip!  I'm not sure how anyone went on any journeys because the geckos could be heard quite often!  LOL.

I spent a relaxed evening after all that excitement over the lizard's tail.  I made myself a cheeseburger for dinner, using the last frozen hamburger patty and bread ends for a bun.  I had a side salad with that and some of the dump cake for dessert. Later, I called friend R to check on her and video chatted with my daughter.

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

- The electric space heater
- Electricity
- Walking for 20 minutes
- Weekly trash collection service
- Memories of my childhood

Tuesday's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M.  

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

  

Cloudy Monday

Pink Rose 

Monday was mostly cloudy, with the daytime high in the low 60s. 

I managed to walk for 20 minutes, today.  I did 15 minutes and then, 5 additional minutes.  Needless to say, I feel very happy with myself.  

Afterwards, I watered the back garden and picked a few more pea pods.  Tossed another soccer ball over the wall, too!  

Remember the self-seeded broccoli growing in the back garden?  Here's how they looked back at the end of November, 2022:  

Self-Seeded Broccoli Seedlings: November 2022

Here's how they looked in January 2023:

Self-Seeded Broccoli Seedling: January 2023

They had grown by March:

Self-Seeded Broccoli: March 2023

I peeked inside the plant later in March for the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt:

A Peek Inside the Broccoli Plant

And here it is, today:

Broccoli Stalk/Head: April 2023

I will wait until Wednesday to pick it, when M is here to do the honors.  Two of the other broccoli plants have much smaller stalks of broccoli; the plants are smaller, too.

Later, I did two loads of laundry and hung everything up (inside the house) to dry.

In the afternoon, I sewed on the quilt I've been repairing.  The repairs have been completed:

The Repaired Triangles Quilt

There are 14 rows of 40 triangles per row; so, 560 triangles, plus 28 half triangles at each side.  I replaced 237 full triangles plus at least 20 of the half triangles!  Where there were several pieces torn in a sort of cluster, I covered them with a hexagon and there are also two larger triangles to replace four smaller triangles.  It would have been faster if I had just sewn a new quilt top, but, it was satisfying to repair the quilt, one piece at a time.  What will I do with my afternoons now that the quilt has been repaired?  I've one less excuse to procrastinate on some housework and paperwork!  LOL!

In the evening, I watched the news, took the trash cans to the end of the driveway, and started the car.  I cooked rice for dinner, warmed up a package of frozen chicken curry, and made a cucumber salad to go have with it.  Brunch had been one of the yogurt flat bread/roti I had made when I made the "pizza" with some katta sambol from a jar.  Katta sambol is a mixture of onions, small flakes of Maldive fish (a type of dried fish), lime juice, and red chili flakes, all ground together.  I usually buy mine already prepared from the Sri Lankan store, but, it can be made at home, too.

For dessert, I made one of my famous dump cakes, using a can of fruit cocktail which had passed its best by date:

Fruit Cocktail Dump Cake

Afterwards, I washed what felt like a mountain of dishes and tidied the kitchen a bit.

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to walk for 20 minutes

- Water for the garden
- Roses and snow peas and broccoli

- Working appliances

- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was completing the quilt repairs.  

Plans for tomorrow include putting away the laundry and tidying the house a bit.  

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for the rest of the week?

 

Sunday

California Poppies

It was a mostly sunny day on Sunday, with the daytime highs in the mid 60s.  After my morning cup of tea and prayers, I walked, again, for 15 minutes.  My daughter thinks that the pain I feel when I walk is due to the bone spurs in my vertebrae (they were revealed when I did the x-ray and MRI after my sciatica flare-up in 2021).  Well, that would explain it, then!

Later, I checked on the back garden and picked more snow pea pods.  I froze them for later.  This clump of self-seeded California poppies are growing next to the bed with the snow peas.  I hope they will continue to self-seed and grow!  

In the afternoon, I watched some videos and sewed.  The little boy from next door came over to ask for his soccer balls which he and his cousin had kicked over the wall into my back yard.  I told him I'll throw them back over the wall - there were four balls!  I was tempted to throw back the empty milk container that I also found on my side of the wall, but, I didn't.  

I'm not quite sure where the evening went, but, I video chatted with my daughter later and we ordered a new pair of shoes (sneakers) for me as I wanted a new pair for "best".  My current "best" pair (which I wear when I go to my doctors' appointments or on the rare occasions when I visit family) were bought in May, 2017.  They are still holding up well, but, some of the inner lining has worn away and the stitching in the front of one of the shoes is fraying.  

Brunch was leftover milk rice with seeni sambol.  I had the last bagel with cream cheese at tea time.  Dinner was fried rice made with leftover rice, the rest of the smoked sausage, frozen green peas, and the last of the cashew curry.  Snacks included mandarin oranges, peanuts, crackers with peach jam.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Another mostly sunny day with relatively warm temperatures
- Walking each day this week
- The snow pea harvest
- Video chatting with my daughter
- Daughter helping with ordering a new pair of shoes for me

Today's joyful activity was video chatting with my daughter.

Plans for Monday include preparing a meal plan for the week, watering the garden, doing a load of laundry, and taking the trash bins to be collected on Tuesday. 

How was your weekend?  What are your plans for Monday?

Sunny Saturday

More Roses

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments about my pizza making skills!  I had fun with all the substitutions!  LOL.  I had the rest of the pizza for my brunch on Saturday, warmed up in the toaster oven, and it was good.  

Saturday was a sunny and warm (69F) day.  I walked for 15 minutes, again.  It's not yet a part of my morning routine, but, I'm hoping it will be.  

Afterwards, I replied to blog comments, watched some online videos, and sewed on the quilt.  I've replaced all the obviously torn pieces; I am now replacing some that are worn out, even if they are not torn.  

I called friend R to check on her in the evening and, later, video chatted with my daughter.  She went to the Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco's Japan Town with a friend of hers and enjoyed herself.  

There was a Taiko drumming performance to watch:  

Taiko Drumming

And some yummy food to sample:

Festival Foods

She told me what all the dishes were, but, I didn't write down the names.  The crepe had a filling of mandarin orange segments, lychee gelato, and whipped cream.  

Brunch had been the other half of the pizza I made.  Dinner was leftover rice and curries (chicken, cashews, and mango).  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- Roses blooming in the garden
- Managing another walk

- Daughter had a fun afternoon at the Cherry Blossom Festival

- Leftovers!

Saturday's joyful activity was watching videos while I sewed.

Sunday is supposed to be another sunny and warm day.  I'm looking forward to another warm day!

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

Friday: Milk Rice and Pizza

Yellow Rose

Another mostly cloudy day, but, the sun tried to shine through the clouds and it was not gloomy and grey.  The morning was chilly and I put the gas heater on to warm up the house (then, turned it off and kept it off the rest of the day).  

It was a struggle for me to go for my walk, today, but, eventually, I bundled up and walked for 15 minutes.  I got tired after 10 minutes, but, paused the timer and sat down on the low stone wall between neighbor T's house and mine for a minute or two, then, set the timer back on and walked for the remaining 5 minutes.  I have managed to walk for at least 15 minutes, Monday through Friday this week.  It might not sound like much to some people, but, this is a big accomplishment for me!  I am not sure if I will walk on Saturday and Sunday, as well, but, if I can walk on five of the seven days, I'll be happy.

Then, I spent another 5 minutes or so, checking on the garden plants, taking a couple of pictures, and picking snow pea pods.  Today, I picked about 25 pea pods.  

Afterwards, I made milk rice to celebrate the Sri Lankan New Year.  I know I had planned to make it on Thursday, but, once I checked the time the new year dawned in Sri Lanka and the time that was recommended for lighting the stove and partaking of the first meal, it made more sense to make the milk rice on Friday.  I took a portion of milk rice and seeni sambol, along with the snow pea pods I picked, over to neighbor S to share with her.  Later, M enjoyed a plate of milk rice and seeni sambol, when he came to tend to the garden.  There is a small portion left for Saturday's breakfast.  

M bought me a small Serrano chili pepper plant and a box of long-lasting tea lights/candles (they are supposed to last for 8 hours, according what's written on the box).  We planted the chili plant and some beans and M weeded, pruned, and tidied.  

Afterwards, I watched the evening news and knitted a bit.  I am making good progress on the sweater I am knitting, considering I only knit for about one hour each evening while I watch news.  

There were leftovers from Thursday night's meal for dinner, but, I had a craving for pizza!  I didn't want to go out to pick up pizza and I didn't want to order for it to be delivered, either.  Instead, I decided to make a pizza.  There was not enough time to make a traditional yeast pizza dough (it was already past 7:30 p.m.)  but, I had seen several recipes online for a two ingredients pizza dough using yogurt and self-rising flour.  Basically, you mix Greek yogurt and self-rising flour to make the dough.  Sounds simple enough, right?

Of course, I didn't have self-rising flour because I have never bought any, so, I just used all purpose flour and added some baking powder and salt to make my own self-rising flour substitute.  And although I had half of a 5 oz. container of Greek yogurt, I wanted to keep that as a starter for my next batch of homemade yogurt.  What I wanted to use for this recipe was the last bit of the old homemade yogurt, except I didn't have enough of it (recipe called for 1 cup).  Not a problem - I used what I had and added approximately half a cup of milk!  Then, I mixed up the dough, kneaded it a bit, and let it rest while I got the other ingredients for the pizza topping ready.  

Pizza sauce?  I didn't have pizza sauce, but, I had some leftover pasta sauce in the freezer - I broke off a portion and microwaved it to thaw it.  Yes, I know they are two different types of sauces, but, I was going to use what I have on hand.  

As for the toppings, I like pepperoni on my pizza, but, guess what?  I didn't have pepperoni.  What I had is smoked sausage in the freezer - I cut off a piece and microwaved it to thaw it, then, sliced it (and microwaved it a bit more to cook it, a bit).

Mozzarella cheese?  Don't have any!  But, I have the Armenian cheese that neighbor S gave!  It's a crumbly cheese, but, it would do just as well!  I broke off a piece and crumbled it.

I was ready to make my pizza!

I took approximately half the dough and rolled it out to a circle, approximately the same size as one of my frying pans.  A frying pan?  Don't you mean a pizza pan?  No, I mean a frying pan!  I don't have a round pizza pan and besides, this pizza dough was going to be cooked on top of the stove!

Pizza Base "Baking"

Once the bottom was browned (took about 5 minutes), I flipped it over so that the other side could brown, too, and I spread the toppings on the side that was already browned, covered the frying pan with a lid and let it cook for another couple of minutes:

Stove Top Pizza!

The Armenian cheese didn't melt that much, but, that was OK.  

I had half of the pizza for my dinner!  Considering how much I tweaked the recipe, it didn't taste half bad!  The dough didn't turn out quite as soft and fluffy as the recipe had said it would, but, then, again, I didn't use the exact ingredients the recipe called for, either!  Maybe if I had used the exact ingredients called for in the recipe, the dough might have turned out soft and fluffy!  My pizza base was similar to a thin crust pizza.

All told, my pizza satisfied the craving I had, but, as I told my daughter, next time, I might just call for a pizza delivery!  LOL.  However, this pizza didn't cost me anything extra because I used what I had on hand and by cooking it on the stove, I didn't have to use the oven!  I am thinking ahead to the summer, when it will be too hot to have the oven on.

I went ahead and made two small flat breads with the remaining dough:  

Leftover Pizza Dough Flat Breads

I will eat them as I would any type of flat bread or roti, with some chicken curry or something.

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- The early morning shower of rain we had!  (More water for the garden!)

- M helping with the garden
- Being able to share the milk rice with neighbor S and with M
- The power didn't go off!
- Being able to walk each day (Monday through Friday)

Friday's joyful activities included sharing snow peas and milk rice with neighbor S and my pizza making adventure!  

Saturday's weather forecast says it will be sunny with a high of 71F.  I don't have any specific plans for the day.  I'll just spend a relaxing day at home.  

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend?  Have you made this yogurt bread dough?

Rainy Thursday

Raindrops on Roses

It rained very early on Thursday morning and, again, in the evening.  The garden appreciated the rain, I'm sure.  The day was chilly and grey.  

The power went out, once again, at noon, but, fortunately, it came back on in about 15 minutes.  I don't know what caused the power outage - it had been windy, earlier, so maybe a tree fell on some power lines or a car skidded on the wet roads and hit a power pole?  Or, maybe the crews were doing some additional repairs after Wednesday's power outage.  My cell phone had a 56% charge left in it, so, when the power came back on, I recharged it.  And because the house was chilly, I switched on the gas heater to warm up the whole house (I had been sitting in front of the electric space heater when the power went out) - that way, if the power went out again, I'd start off with a warm house!  The power has stayed on and I turned the heater off after the house warmed up.

I took my walk in the afternoon, when the rain had ceased.  I couldn't walk at my usual pace because I felt some pain in my left hip.  So, instead of walking for 15 minutes at my usual pace (which isn't all that fast, anyway), I strolled for 30 minutes!  I figured I got in about the same number of steps!  

Aunt C called in the afternoon and I had an interesting conversation with her.  Afterwards, I did some quilt repairs.  Later, I watched news and knitted.  I cooked some rice for dinner and had leftover chicken, cashew curry, and mango curry with the rice.  I also cleaned the kitchen and my bathroom, ran the dishwasher, and did a load of laundry.  Still later, I video chatted with my daughter.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- The power outage was of short duration and we had power for the rest of the day
- Rain for the garden
- Being able to walk for 30 minutes at a slow pace
- Working appliances
- Phone chats with family, emails with friends, video chatting with my daughter

Thursday's joyful activities included knitting and video chatting with my daughter.

Plans for Friday include tending to the garden with M.  He was able to buy me a small Serrano chili plant, he said, so we will plant that out and maybe plant the bean seeds, too.

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