The week started with thunderstorms and rain. Mostly in the afternoon, so I was able to work in the yard in the morning. I transplanted two chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) plants along the back fence. There was a small cranberry hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella) in a pot, so I planted it near the front porch. While working I must have sprained my left wrist. I don't remember when it happened, and for a couple of days I couldn't even turn a door knob. Then I felt better, and the following day I did yoga and it got worse. 😔 I applied some muscle pain relieving cream and the wrist seems better now. There's very little pain.
On Saturday the AC stopped working. It looks like it needs a new blower motor. I went to a service place nearby, but it was closed. I didn't want to find a repair person by searching online. So I came home, thinking I could survive the weekend without AC. Then the next day (Sunday) I saw that the car had low tire pressure sign on. Sigh! I couldn't leave the car like that, so I went to a Wawa gas station and used their free air pump to put air into all 4 tires. Even after I drove home, the low pressure sign was still on. So today I had to postpone finding an AC repair person and took the car to the service station. They checked the car and found a defective sensor on one tire. I am not sure if it was the standard procedure, but they replaced the sensor free of charge. It was such a relief to get it fixed.
Tomorrow I have to get the AC repaired. It's very hot and humid, but as I was born and raised in a very hot and humid country I can tolerate it somewhat. Though I am using two fans as I type this. And drinking lots and lots of water.
It was not all bad news. Now to good news. 😀
I picked the very first pineapple from the yard. I had covered it with a net and let it ripe. Though small, it was one of the best pineapples I've ever had. Store bought pineapples ripened on the counter top cannot beat naturally ripened ones at all.
I saved the crown to start the 3rd generation, as this was grown from a crown of a store bought pineapple.
Painted lady hibiscus is blooming. I bought this last month from the discount rack at the gardening center.
I made the very first batch of passion fruit curd. If you haven't had passion fruit curd, you must try. It's absolutely delicious. I used two recipes, Pauline's recipe, and this one. I used juice and added a teaspoon of seeds, and reduced the amount of sugar by 50 grams. Juice from 8 passion fruits gave 1 1/2 13 oz jars of curd.
When you have homemade passion fruit curd, you must have homemade bread too! I baked two loaves of no knead bread.
Then I made chicken liver pate. This is my go to recipe and I have made it many times.
Today I wrote final exams for my summer classes. The semester ends next week. Then I have three weeks until fall semester starts. Because most of our fall classes went completely online due to the pandemic, we decided to use a lab kit so students can do labs at home. Today I received my sample kit.
Now I have to test it.
I also signed up for two 2-hour professional development seminars to learn more about effective online teaching.
Looks like it's going to be a busy week. 📚
Take care, all. Stay safe.
XXX
Nil
Oh, dear! Sorry to hear about your wrist, the low tire pressure, and the broken A/C! Glad the wrist is getting better and the tire pressure sensor was replaced free of charge. Hope you can get the A/C fixed. But, how lovely to harvest your first pineapple and I'm drooling over your passionfruits! Sounds like you have a busy week, coming up. Stay cool and safe!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, what a week of contrasts! I'm very glad the car issue was easily sorted and my fingers are crossed that the AC is just as easily dealt with.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand - all the lovely things in your garden. Just wow! The passion fruit curd looks a.ma.zing! As for the bread and the pineapple - all of it really - wonderful.
I hope the wrist is OK ongoing.
xx
Oh dear! Sometimes everything seems to break at once! I am glad you were able to end on a more positive note. I have visited Sri Lanka, and honestly I have never experienced more heat and humidity! My clothes were sopping! It must have been hot and humid if you noticed it then
ReplyDeleteWow, so many good things this week, Nil. I'm sorry you hurt your wrist, but glad it is doing better. How neat on your first pineapple! It's beautiful and I'm sure the taste was excellent. There is such a difference between fresh and canned.
ReplyDeleteI have a bad wrist that the pain comes and goes...ugh...so I know what that feels like.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing your classes.
i hope you can get your AC fixed today and also glad that you got the car sensor taken care of and it was free! xo Diana
Your pineapple is prettier than any I have ever seen at the store.
ReplyDeleteBoth of my hibiscus plants are just showing off right now. I do know that after all this blooming there will be a res period where they look like they are about to die. I guess they are like some of the people you see on TV. It takes a lot of energy to be that pretty.
My low tire light has been on for year s-- it was my stepmom's car that she left to me when she died in 2012 and it was even on when she had it lol. No one has ever offered to fix it for us, so we just ignore it (the tire is NOT low because we keep tabs on all the tires). I did not know there was still FREE air anywhere in this country! // I've had problems with sprains and bruises out of the blue all of my life, no particular reason for it, just the way I am because of my health issues. Hope your sprain heals quickly!! // I used to bake bread all the time (stopped years ago when we changed to a more organic/borderline-vegan diet). Never tried fruit curd but it looks pretty good! Blessings to you! (It's been horribly hot and humid here, too!)
ReplyDeleteI have serious pineapple envy. Pineapple is my very favorite thing and I cannot imagine how delicious a really ripe, fresh picked one would taste. Here's hoping your AC repair will not be too expensive. Replacement of the tire sensor for free sounds like perfect service.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific post. I am in awe of your homegown pineapple. Wow! It is such a beautiful shade of yellow. Sorry to hear that you have had some challenges, but you always face them head on and find a solution.
ReplyDeleteyour pate looks fab Nil. we are having a week of it too - one of our trees dropped a huge branch on our neighbour's shed, and now our gas hot water has blown up. goodness how much all this will cost to fix. hope your week is going well/better.
ReplyDeletecheers
sherry
You have had a busy week! First, take care of the wrist- glad it’s feeling better. And WOW! You grew that from a store bought top. Color me impressed 😁. I like fresh pineapple but not canned or juiced. Not sure if I could grow one here, but you have me curious. I bet like anything they are far better like you said. Have a great week 🌺
ReplyDeleteNil, we could see a thunderstorm in the background of Julie's place on Zoom this morning and she said it was hot and humid. That will be us in a couple of months I guess. At first I thought the fruit in your photo was of yellow tamarillos 😀 I have lots of pineapple plants growing but have had no fruit yet. I am sure I should have some by now. The chap across the road has been growing them for years so it is possible to grow them here.
ReplyDeleteI hope your AC repair isn't too expensive. I'm glad you can handle the heat and humidity, I always have a hard time sleeping when it's hot and I would have a dog panting excessively keeping me awake. That pineapple is adorable and I bet that was delicious. Here's hoping for a week with no injuries or anything else breaking down!
ReplyDeleteThat sucks havinga sore write you cant remember how you did it. Do you think it might be arthritis? Love that pink hibiscus. wow you made some of my favourite things.
ReplyDeleteWe use that pouring rain saying a lot at our place too, Nil. This week, it was our dishwasher which stopped working. Thankfully, still under warranty so called service folk who recommended trying few simple things and, lo and behold, working again!
ReplyDeleteNow seems to be issue with our old car; a few 'no starts' when turning the key. Our mechanic thinks possibly the starter motor! Somehow, I don't think this will be an easy fix!
Hope your are well and stay safe,
MegXx
When I started this post and read about the wrist injury, then the AC failing and the low tire pressure, I was hoping that things would get better soon, Nil. And they did when I read about the home-grown pineapple and passion fruit curd (which I will never make as we don't have a garden), the homemade bread and liver pate. Sounds like you will be really gearing up for the fall semester of online teaching and it seems the last semester just ended as you might be feeling too. Time seems to be going way faster than we would like it to at times.
ReplyDeleteThat pineapple. wow! It looks delicious, I've never had passion fruit, but this looks really good, especially when you put it on homemade bread...mmmm mmm!
ReplyDelete