These young women made history!

As a nation we are used to becoming European Champions in Women's Volleyball but, Gymnastics? This is absolutely a first. 

I watched them with tears of joy. These young women made us so proud!

Soooo tired.... But proud!

Recently, I was being too lazy but finally, the mess and the dust bunnies got to me. Today, I decided to clean the rest of the apartment. I did well but still, there are things to do. 

I tried my new cordless vacuum and totally fell in love with it. It has handy accessories with which you can easily dust and get to small areas. 

I love my Dyson but it is bulky so, taking it out of the closet and out of it's box frequently is a chore. This new one is great for frequent use. 

After I dusted with the new vacuum, I went back to my Dyson; vacuumed and mopped the family room, vacuumed the entrance and the kitchen too but was too tired to mop them. That is for tomorrow. Oh and I managed to clean up the most messy bathroom cabinet too. There is still work to do in the bathroom but, I am gradually getting there. 

I put away some groceries which were being quarantined too. The coffee table  and the dinner table are neat and tidy, unnecessary stuff is put away.

Yesterday I was mad at myself because, I had spent the day mostly sitting. Today, I am proud of myself.

I also cooked dinner and there will be leftovers for tomorrow. 

Now I am ready to brew some tea, sit back, relax and watch my Star Trek: Discovery on Netflix. 

I would love to share a beautiful concert by the Oratorio Society of Queens. I am friends with 3 of the singers in that chorus. Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my favorite US Holiday. Last Year I was in South Carolina celebrating with friends. I hope, I will be able to do that again in the future...

Wishing everyone Health and Happiness in this Holiday Season! 

Nice day, more fish!

Today, I decided to drag my big arse to the Swedish Market at IKEA and then to the seaside to walk. I am glad I did because, it was a very nice day. Isn't it hard to believe the below pictures are from a megacity with a 15+ million population. It is a very long promenade with a bike lane, many small cafes (all closed now due to Covid-19) basketball courts, playgrounds and simple outdoor exercise equipment. You can rent a bike at various stations.

I selected a part where there were just a few people and walked for about half an hour. If the weather is nice tomorrow, I will repeat it.

As you can see from the above picture, there were lots of seagulls and shags around the same spot. So, I guess there were a lot of fish there.

The islands are called the Prince Islands. They are very nice unless you go on weekends and on holidays. There are no cars except for Emergency and Service vehicles. There used to be horse driven carriages until this year but, now there are electric vehicles provided by the local government for a small fee. 

The ferry rides to the islands are pretty cool. You get to see the islands and the city from different perspectives. 

Then I went to the fish market right on the promenade and got two kinds of fish. I had bluefish (again) for dinner and I may try to make fish patties tomorrow, with the bonito I bought.

Having fish and a salad for dinner was both tasty and easy. 

After dinner my BFF who lives in the US and I watched another episode of Bosch on Amazon Prime Video. 

I should be going to bed but, I am not sleepy enough yet. Another night to struggle with sleep...

 

Grocery Shopping

Today, I went to an open market for veggies and fruit. I bought string beans, celery roots, a small cabbage, an avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, tangerines, and two quinces.

Then I went to the grocery store and stocked up on meat. Ouch! That hurt. Meat is so expensive nowadays. Anyway, for at least two weeks if not more, I think I am all set.

Today's menu is Baked Bluefish and Carrot Salad. I shred the carrots and use lemon juice and olive oil for dressing. I also bought some real nice fresh bread too. Easy peasy and yummy!

I am getting sick of cleaning the kitchen, filling and emptying the dishwasher. When I was working there were only dinners I had at home and they were mostly takeout. I would cook over the weekend and the cleaning would be done in one day. I remember using the dishwasher once or twice a week. Nowadays, it is almost everyday.

However, I haven't forgotten the time when we had to actually wash the dishes so, I am never going to be ungrateful. When I was growing up, we did not have a dishwasher. They were too expensive and were not considered a necessity. After dinner, mom would soap the dishes and I would rinse them. It was a mother daughter bonding time. When I started working in the US, my apartment came with a dishwasher. This was in January 1990, when I was not even 23 yet. I fell in love with my diswasher and immediately decided to get one for mom. So, I sent money home to buy a dishwasher as a Mother's Day gift to my mom in May. Although she preferred personal gifts rather than household items, she loved it and appreciated it very much. 

Cranky

Today I feel cranky. No, I am cranky. Why is that?

Too bad, there isn't anyone to bug or deliver sarcastic remarks to. I would make a perfect Dowager Countess today. 

Oh well...

Distancing

Due to COVID-19, it has become essential to socially distance ourselves from others, pay attention to hygiene and wear masks when out and about. Clear rules. 

Although, it is difficult to stay away from friends and family, when push comes to shove, it must be done. It is not so hard to distance yourself from people especially if you live alone like I do. However, I find it hard to distance myself from my own brain. Negative thoughts surface so quickly and I feel depressed when I overthink and overanalyze things of the past that I can no longer change.

Recently to avoid myself, I started to watch the cheesy Hallmark Movies. Most of them are about Christmas. I love the decorations so, they are pleasant to look at but, they are all pretty girls, handsome guys, one minor misunderstanding, a big happy ending and oh! everything is so romantic! Yeah right... There is a saturation point with these movies too. So, only one per day, no more!

I am thinking exercise might also help so, I will come up with a routine which has some sort of variety because treadmill gets old fast. Walk Away The Pounds videos and some Yoga or Pilates may be? I dislike the floor exercises so, I found a few online Standing Pilates videos I would like to try.

Today I got up late as usual and before I ate and showered, I vacuumed the floors. I decided to treat myself to a brunch of crackers, avocado and smoked salmon with coffee. It was yummy.

Gotta go and put the dishes away before preparing dinner. I am thinking of deep cleaning and re-organizing my kitchen cabinets and drawers too. One of these days...