On Friday

The Star Jasmine is Flowering

The star jasmine vine, growing up on the home grown and home made pole trellis, is flowering.  

Star Jasmine Flowers

I had planned to take the laptop in to the shop, today, but, I was pleasantly surprised, late yesterday evening, to find that the whirring fan noise had disappeared!  It has been working just fine, today, too, so, it seems that the threat of taking it to the store for a check up worked!  LOL.  I will see how it goes over the weekend and take it in if the noise returns.  

Yesterday, after I did my blog post, I took over some cake to my neighbor S; she said to bring her a small piece just to taste, but, I took her enough to share with her husband and daughters.  Later, I cooked a chicken curry with one of the packets of chicken thighs I had bought, earlier in the week.  There were eight thighs in that packet and I froze six of them, two to a package, for future meals and kept two in the fridge.  Today, I sliced one of them and had chicken curry sandwiches for brunch.  I still need to cook the other package of chicken thighs - I might saute them for a change from the chicken curry or make more curry (I am more likely to eat the curry than sauteed chicken).  

I changed my bed sheets, today, and did two loads of laundry.  

With this year's blueberries ripening, I decided to use some of the frozen blueberries from last year to make a blueberry compote to go with the cake I baked:

Blueberry Compote

I used about two cups of blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, the juice of half a lemon, and a small piece of cinnamon stick and cooked it for about 10 minutes (the only thing I measured was the sugar).  The resulting compote is both sweet and tangy.  I served a piece of cake with some of the compote poured over it to M and he thought it went well with the cake.  

Brunch had been chicken curry sandwiches; dinner will be reheated fried fish, a baked potato, and salad.  There might be cake and compote for dessert.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Another sunny, warm day
- Working appliances
- M's help with the garden
- The laptop seems to be working well
- Blueberries from the garden

Today's joyful activity has been being online without worrying about the computer breaking down!

Ripening Blueberries

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

Sunny on Thursday

Pomegranate Flower

The pomegranate tree is flowering; I hope we will get some fruit, this year:

Pomegranate Flowers

Last year, too, it flowered well, but, we didn't get any fruit!

My laptop fan is making a high-pitched whirring noise, so, I'm going to keep off the computer for longer periods of time, now.  I've been doing this post in short periods of time, turning the computer off for a few minutes in between.  I will catch up on my blog reading in small periods of time.  Hopefully, the fan will adjust itself, if not, I might have to take the laptop in to have it checked.

Yesterday (Wednesday) went well.  The pharmacy called in the morning to let me know that Dancer's prescription refill was ready for pick up and I said I'll be there in the afternoon.  Then, I went for my blood test and that went fairly well.  But, the lab tech told me that the lab results might not be available in time for Friday's appointment with the doctor.  So, after I came home, I called the cancer clinic and rescheduled my appointment for next week, Friday.

M was still tending to the garden when I came home from the lab and I was able to chat with him for a bit and reimburse him for the packet of pole bean seeds he bought for me.  The packet of green beans cost $2.99 (and I gave him a little extra for his time and trouble).  One pound of green beans cost $2.99 to buy from the grocery store;  I'd better be able to harvest at least two lbs. of green beans to make it worth my while to plant beans and water them!  Last year's bean harvest was pitiful!  

I had been fasting for my blood test, so, I ate the last of the ground turkey filled patties for brunch.  Then, I went to pick up Dancer's medication.  I decided not to treat myself to a doughnut and told myself that I will bake a cake, instead!

I had a long chat on the phone with Aunt C and with former neighbor T in the afternoon, and an even longer chat with my daughter after she came home from work.  

But, the best news of the day was an email from Dancer's vet, stating that his blood test results showed that his thyroid levels were finally within normal range!  It took nearly one year!  He will continue to take the dermal medication at the current dose and, I suppose, they will recheck him again, later.  That is such a relief to know that he's doing better!

Such a Good Boy, Dancer!

Dinner was leftover fried fish (I warmed it up in the toaster oven and the batter crisped up, nicely), with oven "fried" potato wedges, and cucumber salad:

Dinner: Fish and Chips

Then, I baked that cake I had promised myself!  I used a boxed pound cake mix that I had received free from the grocery store some time ago, but, instead of a loaf pan, I used the bundt cake pan: 

A Slice of Pound Cake

 I added a little grated lemon peel to it, but, I should have used more, I think.  I couldn't get any taste of the lemon!

Yesterday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to get my lab work done
- Being able to reschedule my oncology appointment
- Pleasant lab technicians and doctor's office assistants

- M tending to the garden and getting the packets of vegetable seeds for me
- Dancer's good news!

My joyful activity was chatting with my daughter.

Today, Thursday, is a sunny day with a high of 73F.  I walked for 20 minutes and enjoyed the sunshine and the birdsong.

Plans for today include some paperwork, mending, and maybe doing a load of laundry.

Tuna salad sandwich for brunch and dinner will be leftover rice, shrimp curry, dhal, and broccoli (have to cook the broccoli)

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- Flowers in the garden
- A working computer (even if it is singing to me!)
- Being able to walk for 20 mins. without pain (remember when I couldn't walk for more than 8 mins. max?)

- Birdsong (even if the birds have already eaten some of my ripening plums!)

Today's joyful activity is spending the day at home without having to go to any appointments or run any errands!  LOL

The Week So Far

Martha Washington Geraniums

On Monday, I ordered and picked up groceries and on the way home, put gas to the car ($5.15/gal.; I put $50 worth).  I also called in a refill for Dancer's medication, gave Dancer his monthly flea prevention medication, paid the natural gas bill, watered the indoor plants, and took the trash cans to the curb.  I started making a meal plan, but, then, my lovely neighbor S brought me dinner!

Beer Battered Fried Tilapia and Cabbage Salad
(Plus some mango salad)

There are leftovers for at least another couple of meals.

On Tuesday, I took Dancer to the vet clinic for his arthritis injection and thyroid blood work.  I had to give him his sedative before I took him in and this time, he was very mellow on the ride to and from, even falling asleep for short periods of time.  He has gained a pound and that is a very good sign.  The vet will contact me with the blood work results, later in the week.

After I brought him home, I went to the grocery store to pick up the missing box of baking soda.  The person I spoke with on Monday wasn't there, but, the person I spoke with on Tuesday was very helpful and I was able to get the missing box of baking soda.  

I had made patties (ground turkey filling encased in pastry) for dinner on Sunday and I had leftover patties for brunch on Monday and for breakfast on Tuesday.  After I came home from the grocery store, I shared a can of tuna with Dancer, making a tuna salad sandwich with my share of the can of tuna (there's leftover tuna salad for Wednesday's brunch).  I cooked a shrimp curry for dinner on Tuesday, with rice, cucumber salad, and dhal:

Rice, Shrimp Curry, Dhal, and Cucumber

I kept about two servings of shrimp curry in the fridge for meals this week and froze another two servings for later.  

Plans for Wednesday include going for some lab work in preparation for my appointment with the oncology nurse practitioner on Friday.  Unfortunately, the lab appointment time coincides with M's regularly scheduled time and day for tending to the garden.  But, I'll leave instructions for him - he needs to start making two planting beds for the corn and okra we want to plant this year.  

So far this week, I am grateful for:

- Being able to order and pick up groceries, including being given the missing item without a fuss
- Vet services for Dancer
- Availability of gas for the car
- Availability of medical services for myself
- Neighbor S bringing me dinner on Monday night

The week's joyful activities have included enjoying the dinner S provided, spending time in the garden, and crocheting.

How is your week coming along? 

May Grocery Shopping Part 1

I put in an order for groceries today and picked it up in the afternoon.  I mostly wanted to take advantage of the sale on chicken.  But, of course, I had to buy enough groceries to qualify for the free pick up (minimum $35.00 order, before coupons are deducted).

I bought:

7.33 lb. chicken thighs (2 trays) @ $0.99/lb. (reg. price $2.49/lb.) = $7.25

0/91 lb. shrimp @ $7.98/lb. = $7.27

2 bananas (0.73lb.) @ $0.68/lb. = $0.52

1 Italian salad kit, 11 oz. = $3.67

1 orange juice with mango, 54 fl. oz. = $3.99 + $0.10 deposit

1 can coconut milk = $1.99

1 box 12 oz. cereal (reg. price $4.29; free with coupon) = $0.00

1carton ice cream, 48 fl.oz., reg. price $6.49, on sale for $3.99 plus $1.00 coupon = $2.99

1 box baking soda (1 lb.)* = $1.69 

* Missing item!  Need to go back and pick it up, tomorrow.

Original price of items bought = $53.22
Less coupons/sales = $23.75
Total paid = $29.47

May grocery budget = $100

Spent to date = $15.39 (over spent in April) + $29.47 = $44.86

Balance remaining in the May grocery budget = $100 - $44.86 = $55.14

The shrimp was a bit of a splurge item, I think it was a good start to May's grocery shopping.  

When I came home and realized that the baking soda was missing, I called the store and they said I could come by today or tomorrow to pick it up.  I didn't feel like going back today, so I'll go over, tomorrow.  

Have you gone grocery shopping in May, yet?  

A Stumpery

First There Was One

Remember this stump M and I placed in the front garden in the succulents border?

It was soon joined by this partially decomposed stump that I had in the back garden from when the pyracantha bush was cut down:

Then There Were Two

Then, I added some of the branches we had cut down from the bottlebrush tree:

And More

They joined the other branches that were already in place, which were originally placed as an edging for the beds, which are more or less covered by the succulents and the osteospermum:

Existing Branches Already in Place

What on earth are you trying to do, Bless?

Well, I've been watching some gardening videos and learning about "stumperies".  They are made by placing stumps and upturned roots as a garden feature, usually in a shady part of the garden, and planted with ferns and other shade loving plants.  They provide shelter for small garden animals and insects and as they slowly decompose, add nutrients to the soil.  In my garden, I'm placing the couple of stumps that I have and some branches among the succulents.  I am still in the process of tweaking the branches into what I consider to be a pleasing arrangement.  Currently, it looks like I dropped an armful of firewood in front of the succulents!  

Maybe I need to ask Gardener M to bring me another stump or two.  However, he is not sold on the idea of a stumpery.  LOL.

I placed the extra branches in the back yard, next to the side wall - I'm in the process of weeding this area, but, there are asparagus ferns growing here, as well, and they will grow through and over the branches in no time.  

A Second Stumpery in the Making

What do you think?  Would you consider having a stumpery in your garden?
 

A Quick Post on Sunday

Sunday's Pickings

Just a quick post on Sunday because I've been having internet connection issues.  I keep getting disconnected and then, even restarting the computer doesn't seem to help.

Saturday was cool and cloudy - a typical "May Gray" weather day.  Today, Sunday, it is sunny and quite windy.  I've taken a walk on both days, checked on the garden, chatted with family and, when the internet connection worked, emailed friends.  

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.  

I'll post another garden post if the internet connection works!

Dancer's Mountain Climbing Tips

Step 1: Look ahead to see how far or high you have to go

Dancer decided to climb Mt. Washmore, the other day, and wanted me to photograph his technique.

Step 2: Look down to see how high you have climbed

Step 3: Look behind to see how far you've come

Step 4: Plop yourself down on the peak
to celebrate having climbed the mountain

And finally,

Step 5: Take a well deserved nap

 Dancer assures me that one can climb any mountain, this way, not just Mt. Washmore.