On Friday

 

Friday's Harvest

On Friday, I picked some chilies and Fuyu persimmons.  There are four more persimmons left on the tree to ripen a bit more before I pick them.  

Friday was slightly warmer, with an afternoon high of 76F,  I was happy with that!

It was another relatively quiet day.  I washed a few items, including two doilies my mother had crocheted, by hand and hung them to dry.  I did some decluttering, which was a bit of a challenge.  I had a chat with my aunt C.

I had washed the cushion covers on the second sofa in the family room, earlier, but, had procrastinated on putting the covers back on.  I did that on Friday and noticed that the inner lining (which is some sort of bonded fabric) of one cushion was starting to tear:

A Tear in the Cushion Lining 

That called for a bit of mending:

Mended

Then, I put the covers back on and spread an old bed sheet over the sofa as a dust cover.  The dust sheets help to keep the sofas from getting dirty as quickly.  I also brought out the throw blankets I place on the sofas, now that it is starting to get cooler in the evenings.

In the evening, M tended to the garden and watered and weeded.  He was wondering if the avocado tree has died:

The Avocado Tree

It certainly got scorched during that heatwave we had earlier in the month!  But, I am thinking that it will revive.  We shall wait and see.  Maybe we can prune it back a little bit and see if that helps.

Later in the evening, I fell asleep on the sofa for about an hour!  

I must have been dehydrated, too, because, my hands started cramping, rather painfully, in the evening.  I was good about drinking plenty of water when it was hot, but, now that it has cooled off, I guess I haven't been keeping up with my water intake.  I've been drinking my water this evening and the cramping seems to have stopped.  Thank goodness for that!

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- A slightly warmer day
- The day's garden harvest
- M's help with the garden
- Chatting with aunt C
- The cramping in my hands have stopped

Friday's joyful activities included picking persimmons and reading.

Weekend plans include more decluttering, a load or two of laundry, and probably ordering some groceries.

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

Slow Days

The Bottlebrush Tree

The bottlebrush tree in the back garden has leafed out very nicely after we pruned it back in early March. 

Here's how it looked after it was pruned:

How it looked in early March after the pruning

M wasn't sure if it would ever recover from the pruning, but, I was confident it would be just fine and it is!

I've been having a few slow days so far, this week.  It's been fairly cool with the afternoon highs being in the low 70s.  It's like we went from the height of summer to fall, overnight!  

I baked a cake on Monday because it was finally cool enough to turn on the oven, again.  It was just a yellow cake from a boxed mix, but, I added a little freshly grated nutmeg and some almond essence to the batter.

On Tuesday, I took a piece of the cake to friend R when I dropped off the packages that had been delivered to my address.

On Wednesday, M tended to the garden and he enjoyed a piece of the cake I had baked on Monday, along with a persimmon I had picked from the tree.  I also chatted on the phone with former neighbor T and friend R.

On Thursday, I dusted the family room and sorted through the cabinet where I keep the table cloths and napkins, etc.  

I have been sorting through drawers and cupboards this week, as I look for things to declutter.  Decluttering is not easy for me and most of the time, I end up putting things back in place.  But, I'm making progress.

This week, I am grateful for:

- The cooler weather
- M's help with the garden
- Being able to help friend R with her packages
- Phone calls, emails, and texts from family and friends
- Library books

Joyful activities have included visiting friend R (brief, curb-side visit), tending to the garden with M, and baking a cake.

How is your week coming along?

 

Dancer Update

Dancer at the Vet's Office Last Week
"Get me down from here!"

I had an email from the vet, yesterday, updating me on Dancer's test results.  His thyroid levels are holding steady and we will continue with the dermal medication at its current dosage.  The vet is no longer pushing the irradiation treatments.

His kidney functions are holding steady, too, and no treatment is required at this time.  His heart murmur hasn't got worse.

She is concerned, however, that his leg muscles seem to have atrophied more.  He does have arthritis and he is on medication for that (monthly injections) and at first, they seemed to have helped a lot, but, now, they are not as effective.  He no longer jumps up on to the tables, etc., but, he will pull himself up on to the coffee tables, sofas, and my bed (I keep a little stepstool by my bed and he makes full use of it!)  And he walks about the house quite a bit and takes me for "walkies" around the house - he leads, turning around to see if I am following and we go about twice around the house before he stops by his food bowl and I have to give him more food.

The vet suggested that I give him a very low dose of the medication I give him as a sedative when I have to take him to the vet's, once or twice a day, to alleviate any pain he might experience when walking.  Dancer hates that medicine and giving it to him is torture for both of us!  I emailed the vet back, saying I will hold off on giving him that medication for the time being.

He will be checked again in 6 months time, unless there is a need to have him checked before that.  And, of course, I will be taking him in for his monthly injections.

Here he is, sitting next to me on the sofa, this afternoon:

Dancer

I am grateful for:

- Dancer's vet updating me on his blood test results
- He seems to be doing OK, considering the fact that he is 16 years old
- I can give him some of the other medication if I think he needs it
- He will continue to get his monthly arthritis injections
- He continues to be my companion

Today's joyful activity was relaxing on the sofa with Dancer.

September Meal Planning - Week 2 Review and Week 3 Plan

This was my meal plan for September Week 2 

Brunches: Corned beef sandwiches✔, tuna salad or egg salad sandwiches, salad, pancakes✔ or waffles, smoothies?

Dinners: Rice, chicken curry, dhal✔ and moringa curry✔ and/or beets; Thai fried rice (take out),  Leftovers

Snacks/Desserts: Fresh fruit, Crackers with cheese or peanut butter, sesame seed crackers, cookies, nuts, "nice-cream" (frozen banana dessert).  

And here is how it worked out:

Monday

Brunch: Corned beef sandwich on multi-grain bread (half a sandwich)
Dinner: Other half of the corned beef sandwich 
Snacks/Desserts: Crackers, gata, a chocolate, cherries, orange juice

Tuesday

Brunch: Pear slices, crackers with peanut butter 
Dinner: Rice, Chicken curry, dhal, tomato chutney
Snacks/Desserts: Calamondin infused water

Wednesday

Brunch: Pancakes, dhal 
Dinner: Scrambled eggs, toast
Snacks/Desserts: Pear

Thursday

Brunch: Pancakes, dhal, chicken
Dinner: Cheese burek (pastry); salad (cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, etc.)
Snacks/Desserts:  Gata (Armenian cookies/pastries),

Friday

Brunch:  Pear slices
Dinner:  Egg rolls with chicken and green chile filling, with sweet chili sauce
Snacks/Desserts: gata, Fuyu persimmon

Saturday

Brunch: Corned beef sandwich (half a sandwich)
Dinner: Egg roll
Snacks/Desserts: gata

Sunday

Brunch: Corned beef sandwich (the other half of the sandwich from Saturday)
Dinner: Rice, chicken curry, moringa curry
Snacks/Desserts:  Calamondin lemonade, tea cookies, peppermint candy

I didn't keep a count of the week's plant based foods, this week.  But, looking at what I did eat, I think I had about 13 plant based foods.  Maybe I do eat more plant based items when I am keeping track of what I eat!  

I also didn't keep to the meal plan, but that was OK, I think.  It was very hot, for most of the week, I was not inspired to cook, and I didn't feel like eating much of what I had prepared.  Neighbor S bringing me dinner, one night, really helped.

Moving on to Week 3 which is on the cool side, with highs in the low 70s.

Brunches: Waffles and corned beef, egg salad sandwiches, Indian style cream of wheat, toast and peanut butter

Dinners: Tomato soup and toast (Monday), Rice, chicken curry, beets, and moringa curry, Sauteed salmon with rice and vegetables; Breaded shrimp with salad, Leftovers.

Snacks/Desserts: Fresh fruit, sesame seed crackers, tea cookies, cake

Are you making a meal plan this week?

September Decluttering - Week 2

My September Decluttering Challenge is to declutter as many items a day as the date.  I should have 465 items decluttered by the end of the month.  However, I am giving myself permission to stop at 300 items decluttered or carry it until I have a total of 500 items.  We shall see how it goes!  But, to keep myself accountable, I am taking pictures of what I've decluttered each week.

Here's the link to September Decluttering Week 1

Onto Week 2 of decluttering:

8th - 1 cook book - all the kinds of pies one would ever want to make, but, I don't make that many pies, anymore and when I do make one, I have another cookbook with some pie recipes or can look online; 7 CDs

Day 8: 1 Cookbook, 7 CDs

9th - boxed set of 9 books - The Little House series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder - much read and practically falling apart, as you can see!  The 9th book no longer fits into the box!  I am finally ready to part with them!

Day 9: Boxed Set of 9 Books

10th - 7 expired medications, 3 empty pill containers (didn't take a picture)

11th - 6 expired medications & supplements; 5 plastic forks (didn't take a picture)

12th - 1 metal tray, 2 calendars, 1 cookbook, 1 blue rose, 1 floral pen, 1 empty pen box, 3 heavy duty binder clips, 1 dried out/non-sticky packing tape and dispenser, 1 yellow flowered hair clip, 

Day 12: 12 Miscellaneous Items

13th - 6 brass napkin rings, 4 cooking utensils, 1 empty pill container, 1 box, 1 item of clothing (last 3 items not pictured)

Day 13 - 6 Brass Napkin Rings, 4 Utensils (plus 3 other items)

14th - 11 magazines (daughter gave me a magazine subscription as a birthday gift in 2019 and they were such a delight during the initial Covid lockdown period when I couldn't go to the library), 3 craft books

Day 14: 11 Magazines and 3 Craft Books

8+9+10+11+12+13+14 = 77 items decluttered this week.

Week 1 = 28

Week 2 = 77

Total decluttered so far in September = 28 + 77 = 105

The second week of decluttering wasn't too hard.  I am starting to see a bit of a difference.  It's going to get more difficult as I get to the bigger numbers from now on, but, I am making progress.  

Those of you who have joined me in decluttering this month, how are you coming along?

The Things One Finds

 

A Poem

I am still decluttering, going through my belongings, one by one.  This morning, I was going through my desk drawers and tucked under my spare glue sticks and post-it notes, I found a folded piece of paper.  I opened it to see what it was and it was a poem I wrote several years ago when I was remembering a loved one who had died in their sleep who used to tell me, "Don't cry when I am gone".  There is no title or a date, but, I think I wrote it sometime in the 1990s. 

A Poem: Written by me, a long time ago.

I still dream of you
at night
when I am asleep
and my defences are low
you come to me
shrouded in a swirling veil of mist
I see you smile
I hear you laugh
I feel your touch
your warmth
your nearness
your love
I still dream of you
at night
even though you are gone
and I have lost you forever.

You stole away
one night
when I wasn't watching
you didn't say goodbye
or even kiss me goodnight
you just stole away
like a thief in the night
with only a faint echo
of an admonishment long ago
for me not to cry
when you are gone.

*********************

I think I'll continue to keep this.

All Shook Up on Thursday

Dinner and Treats from Neighbor S

I was woken up just before 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, as the house shuddered and shook and the Emergency Alert system notifying me that we were experiencing an earthquake and to "duck, cover, and hold".  It was a 4.7 magnitude quake.  I listened, but, didn't hear anything fall or break, so I just went back to sleep!  I hadn't gone to bed until after 4:00 a.m. and I wasn't quite ready to get up!  I didn't feel any of the afterquakes, but, there had been at least two, according to the news.  

The weather was quite pleasant, sunny with the highs only in the mid 80s (F).  I did a load of laundry including my bed sheets, made pancakes for brunch (ate them with the last of the dhal curry and some chicken curry), sorted through and tidied the second drawer in my bedside table, went through two kitchen drawers, and sorted through some of the plastic "Tupperware" type containers, and one kitchen cabinet.  

Later, I called former neighbor T for a short chat, spoke with my half-sister, had a phone call from friend R, and, had a call from neighbor S who offered to bring me some salad and pastries both sweet and savory that she and a friend had made.  Me, being greedy, accepted offer quite eagerly and she brought me salad, a cheese burek (pastry), and gata (Armenian cookies).  In addition she brought some frozen egg roll/taquito type rolls that her daughter had bought and wanted to share with me.  I enjoyed some of the salad and the cheese burek for dinner and had one gata for dessert.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- The earthquake was quite moderate and there was no damage and no one was hurt
- Just the right temperature for me
- Phone calls with family and friends
- Neighbor S bringing me dinner and treats
- Working appliances

Thursday's joyful activities included phone calls with family and friends and enjoying the lovely food neighbor S brought me.

Plans for Friday include mopping the bathroom and kitchen floors, tending to the garden with M, and maybe vacuuming my bedroom.

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday...the 13th!