It's back to normal temperatures again. At the moment it is 70 degrees F ( ~21 C). I really like this weather. It's not too cold, and not too hot.
I had a very productive week and achieved all most everything on my weekly to-do list. I finished grading before the weekend started, so I was able to concentrate on other things.
I tried to replicate my mom's mung bean curry. It tuned out well, but I think mom's is still way better. I roasted mung beans before cooking it with curry powder and coconut milk.
I tried to replicate my mom's mung bean curry. It tuned out well, but I think mom's is still way better. I roasted mung beans before cooking it with curry powder and coconut milk.
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| Mung bean curry. |
After comparing car insurance prices, I decided to change the insurance company and also increase the coverage. This means $15/month extra, so the money I saved by receiving a discount for internet just cancels out.
February started with several expenses. In addition to paying car insurance premium, I applied for a passport via expedited service. It cost additional $60, but I didn't want to be without a passport for too long. When your family is on the other side of the world, you have to have the passport ready all the time.
This weekend I filed my tax return. I used e-filing for the first time, so I hope the refund will be faster.
A couple of months ago I received a credit card offer from Capitol One. The card (Savor One) has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. And according to the offer, there's a $150 sign up bonus if I spend $500 in the first three months. Because I needed a card with no foreign transaction fee, I decided to apply for the card. I knew I could easily spend over $500 because I have insurance renewals in February. Yesterday while checking the card balance online, I saw that I had already received the bonus. I always use a credit card and pay it off full in every month. So it's nice to receive cash back and a bonus for the things I buy anyway.
Though the weather is warmer, I didn't do much in the yard. I have to prepare a raised bed and sow seeds for spring gardening. The other day I noticed several clusters of Elderberry flowers.
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| Elderberry flowers. |
While in the yard, I noticed these beautiful flowers. I don't know what the name of this weed is, but I love the shade of purple. They look so delicate. Does anyone know the name of this flower?
I hope you all have a wonderful week.
Results of this week's to-do list:
1)
2)
3) Organize craft/fabric boxes.
4)
5)
6)
Next week's to-do list:
1) Organize craft/fabric boxes.
2) Sow basil and mustard seeds.
3) Cut more quilt blocks.
4) Do yoga.
5) Sleep 7 hours.
XX
Nil
Hi Nil, You always sound so disciplined and productive. I don't know the name of that flower. It is absolutely lovely. I file my taxes the same way, but I have an accountant prepare them for free through AARP. The money usually shows up very quickly in my account.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that e-filing is quicker, Stephenie. I've always done taxes by myself because mine is very simple.
DeleteKudos to you, Nil, for completing your to-do list! I have mental ones, but never write them down, so I don't have to be concerned if I don't complete everything. That said, I still have some regular routines that I do without fail every month such as washing the bathroom rugs and setting the oven to self-clean. I also have a Capital One card and it does come in handy with cash-back rewards which I apply to my balance and like you I also pay off my balance monthly. I recall seeing flowers like the one you showed, but can't recall it's name. It may have been a wild geranium.
ReplyDeleteI have to have a list to motivate me Beatrice. Otherwise I don't get much done. :)
DeleteYou are very good - I don't remember the last time I cleaned the oven. I think it was about 6 months ago. I don't use it a lot.
Can't believe you already have elder blossoms! Have you ever tried elder blossom pancakes? They were a favorite of a friend of mine.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried elder blossom pancakes Lady Locust. I'll find a recipe and try it soon. :)
DeleteNice that you got most of your list completed. This week is supposed to be very temperate here. I need to prune the apple and pear trees, so this will most likely be the week. Then I need to start cleaning out the bed for okra and the green bean bed. Maybe it wil lwork!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your garden work Anne. I sowed some okra a couple of weeks ago and then squirrels destroyed the seedlings. I have to start some indoors.
DeleteYour mung bean curry looks good! I usually don't roast the seeds before cooking them; did you roast them before soaking them or after?
ReplyDeleteThe flower is a type of wood sorrel; the genus name is Oxalis, the plant in the photo looks like it might be Oxalis articulata, often known as pink sorrel. The plant is edible, it has a sour taste. You might pick a few leaves to add to a salad, if you like. I love to nibble on the stems, but I don't have any growing in my garden. But, the corner house on my block has yellow flowered Oxalis growing as a weed in the yard.
You did well with your to do list, this week, and got a lot accomplished! Hope next week will go well, too. I'm glad it warmed up, a bit. :)
Bless, I didn't soak mung beans. I roasted them and then washed and cooked. It took forever. I should have soaked them after roasting.
DeleteI've heard of sorrel. I'll taste a leaf and see of it has a sour taste. :) I remember there was a similar weed in Sri Lanka, and I used to eat tender leaves because it has a sour taste. I don't remember if it had flowers though.
Your mauve flower might be a variety of sorrel, not 100% sure though. Do you use split mung to make dahl curry, I find it's quicker than cooking the whole bean. I taught my son's partner at Christmas, she had always used whole mung and had trouble getting them cooked enough. She is Bengali and my son was very amused that I, the Aussie, was teaching dahl making to an Indian 😁 She even skype her mum in Calcutta to show her. You did well to get through your to-do list Nil, milder temps make life easisr. Enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteI used whole beans, Nanette. I had to cook this curry for a very long time.
DeleteNext time I will buy split ones. Then I too can tell mom about it and explain from where I got the tip . :)
You did really well crossing things off your to do list.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see a photograph of a beautiful blue sky too.
Thank you thrift deluxe. :)
DeleteThe pale purple flower is pretty, but I don't know its name. Congratulations on getting your taxes done. I got ours done, too. It's a chore that weighs heavy on me each year until it's complete. I'm the tax-return preparer in our household, and Dear Husband supports me with lots of chocolate and kisses, so it's not TOO bad.:-)
ReplyDeleteBless and Nanette above say it's sorrel. I'm happy to have another edible weed. :)
DeleteI used to wait until spring break to do taxes, but lately I hear all these identity theft and wanted to get it done as soon as I received my W2.
Receiving Chocolates and kisses is a great incentive to do taxes! :)
I see others have answered your question on the plant. I agree-it looks like sorrel to me. We filed our taxes this weekend using e-file. Simple life means simple taxes for us. Not like the old days and that is fine with old retired me.
ReplyDeleteI thought this time it was much easier to file taxes. Mine has been always easy. I think having no dependents, deductions etc. makes it simple. :)
DeleteSounds like a good week, Nil. I love getting stuff done before the weekend even starts (grading your papers) that way you can spend the weekend doing other things on your list., or even have a fun and relaxing weekend. I hope your week is another good one. :)
ReplyDeleteI always try my best to finish grading before the weekend, Belinda. :) But sometimes I have too many tests.
DeleteI hope your week is going well. :)
70 degrees sounds perfect! I don't know what blue flower that is....I am not good at identifying! We switched our car and home insurance a couple years ago via the internet. Much easier! Our local (big name insurance company that still does it by the office) insurance agent was really messing up our cars with our youngest daughter's car (who was still in college) and they couldn't get the policies correct. So sometimes good things come from bad, as we are happier now and save money. Andrea
ReplyDeleteI normally do everything online, but this time contacted an agent. She was able to find the best price for me. I will shop around again before the next renewal. :) It's great that you were able to find a better price online.
DeleteWe pay off credit cards, each month, also. It's the very best way.
ReplyDelete70 degrees! -smile- I'm happy that this is perfect weather for you.
And thinking of planting... And seeing flowering... This is not possible yet, where I live. :-)
Oh how beautiful your flowering is. Don't know what that little weed is, but so happy that you appreciate it. So many so-called-weeds, are lovely. Too bad people think of them, as weeds.
Hugs, hugs, hugs.....
I have several types of edible weeds in the yard. They have beautiful flowers and attract bees and butterflies. So I'm a fan of weeds. :)
DeleteWe use our credit card this way too, Nil. As long as the discipline is there to pay it off in full each month, then it can be very useful. You seem on top of your schoolwork, I wish I could say the same! Your curry looks delicious; isn't it funny how we feel our versions of our mothers' cooking isn't quite the same? I wonder if that's memory playing tricks on our taste buds. Meg Xx
ReplyDeleteIt could be , Meg. :I always think that no matter how much I try I can never cook things like mom does. :)
DeleteI hope your teaching goes well. You will find a better routine as the time goes by. :)