August ramblings, 2023

​A regular month, some rough days.

Thurs, 08/03/2023 – B learned English

I had a really fun English class today with B, B and H. I had B play the role of a customer and H act as a waiter. H’s job was to take B’s order and ask, “Is there anything else?”. The game started and it turned into a hilarious pattern where every time H asked the question, B ordered more, and it went on and on without a signal to stop. The funny thing was that B had no clue how to indicate she’d had enough. So instead of saying “No, thanks!”, she kept ordering more, because all she knew was names of food. How cute she was! 

After the class, I did some yard work. I pruned a compact Japanese holly, deadheaded blanket flowers, sprayed fungicide on azaleas, cleared away dead leaves around ornamental grass bushes, and watered plants. Then I cooked tahi-mahi. I wasn’t really in the cooking mood, but the fish had already thawed, so I quickly seasoned it and popped it in an air-fryer. Done! Later, I helped S a little bit with his main door installation project and then cleaned a small patio. It had been completely untouched for years. The patio was a mess, littered with broken ceramic pieces, leaves, twigs, and layers of accumulated dirt. Some wooden planks have bent and warped, leading to an uneven and unstable surface. First, I removed the broken ceramic pieces, leaves and twigs; then I used an electric vacuum to suck up dirt and a flat screwdriver to remove stubborn dirt from the edges between planks, and again continued sucking until the patio looked decent. S would transform it into a yoga spot or a peaceful retreat to unwind, or simply a place for some “me” time. It’s sweet to envision that way but the reality would probably be not fun as mosquitos definitely would not let me alone. Anyway, it’s still early to think about this since S already has a long list of projects, and renovating the patio isn’t his priority.

…

Had mixed thoughts about our marriage and the parenthood-seeking journey.

Sat, 08/05/2023 – Chores

Loaded the dishwasher and put away the dishes; did the laundry for clothes, bedding and throw blankets and ran the dryer multiple times; fixed the stair carpet by knotting and securing the loose loops caused by Sam’s and Dozer’s claws. The knots blend seamlessly with the carpet’s 3D diamond texture.

Boiled water for a drink.

Refilled the sugar dispenser and Sam and Dozer’s water bowl.

Tidied up the living-dining area.

Reorganized the pantry.

Pulled the weeds; the soft soil after the rain made the work easier. Despite the overwhelming sight of numerous weeds, I tried to be patient and distracted myself by looking at the bags of pulled weeds to remind me of what I have accomplished instead of focusing on the parts I haven’t touched. This helped my task be less burdened.

Sun, 08/13/2023 – New bed

Bought a new bed frame with a headboard and storage footboard on a bit of a whim. The store was about to close for good, and the discounted price was very tempting, but the high total cost made me feel like the original price had seemed inflated before the generous discount was applied. The bed set looks ok though quite formal while I prefer a touch of rustic charm. S agreed to build floating nightstands to add a more casual element to the room. Not sure how they would turn out but hope that their matte brown stain would create a warm, cozy and more natural look to balance out the shiny, almost black color of the bed set. 

Also, the headboard’s height of 67.5″ blocked the view of the window while an ideal height I need should be 55″. S said he couldn’t lower it to that height because it would make the bed uneven due to the attached non adjustable footboard. However, he could craft new legs to bring the headboard to a more manageable level. A new pair was quickly made and installed; the original pair was put away for potential future use.

Another issue was that the new bed required a box spring, so instead of paying extra for a real one, we used our metal bed frame as a box spring. It perfectly fits inside the bed frame. S’s wonderful idea has saved us from the hassle of selling it and purchasing a separate box spring.

Sat,08/19/2023 – Daily life

My morning began with a trip to Lowe’s with S. We needed to buy trims for the new door, sandpapers, and a sponge. Since we took Dozer with us, we went to the park after that. It was a sunny day, great for spending time outdoors. The park had swings, slides, and other recreational equipment. 

A swirling slide looked fun but I was hesitant to try at first, primarily due to my fear of height. S encouraged me, assuring me that it was a simple ride down. I decided to give it a try. It wasn’t scary at all like I imagined. It slid a bit but very slowly and the slide was actually short. Felt ashamed a bit but to be honest, it was for kids. 

On our way back from the park, we stopped by Subway to grab some sandwiches. As we arrived home, I remembered that I had some thawed meat in the fridge, so I decided to cook it to avoid any waste. I started with chicken and braising seemed like an easy option. I cooked chicken in coconut juice and chicken broth, seasoning it with sautéed onion, turmeric, cayenne, and crushed bay leaves. I added garlic salt, nuoc mam (fish sauce), and mushroom seasoning to enhance the flavors. After simmering for about 30 minutes, I squeezed in a touch of lemon juice, which added a bit of tanginess to the dish. 

At the same time, I cooked catfish nuggets by simply braising them in a mixture of turmeric, crushed ginger, nuoc mam, and garlic salt for half an hour. Yummy! Braised catfish is my all-time favorite. 

Then I continued by steaming shrimp and frying shrimp heads – my favorite part of the shrimp. I particularly enjoyed their crunchy and juicy texture, and also the moment of taking a photo of shrimp heads and sent it to MK to see her “ewe” reaction. Another Vietnamese dish that I teased her with a photo of is sweet and sour chicken feet. Haha! She said she might consider trying it only when she is really starving. 

After cooking, I tried to open a dried coconut which had a hard shell as its fibrous outer layers had been removed. I had never done it before. In my memory, my mom got juice out of this kind of coconut by placing a chopstick on a soft spot at the top and hammering it down to make a hole. I did the same but unfortunately, the chopstick broke, and I was left with the coconut with a broken piece stuck in the hole. S showed up and easily opened the coconut with just a drill. 

How clever of me!

In the afternoon, text messages from a lady who was interested in getting free catnip from me were so confusing. She seemed unsure about my address and mentioned something about following a guy at a gas station to find her way to my house. I initially didn’t question her purpose when I first shared her my address until receiving her subsequent messages on both my phone and the app. Why didn’t she just send a text from either one?!? I started to feel uneasy about meeting her. But when she arrived, I realized my previous suspicions had been a bit overly cautious. She was nice and we had a pleasant conversation.  

Sun, 08/20/2023 – Enjoyable Sunday

The lady I had given catnip and the playhouse to sent me a nice text to thank me for the wonderful gifts and shared a sweet story about how much her cat loved the toy. I was glad that my gifts were useful. 

The heat in August was still scorching. I watered plants and pulled out weeds; noticed one heuchera was looking particularly sick.

Before noon, S & I went to a nearby casino. We wanted to have lunch at the steak restaurant inside the casino that we missed once, but it was closed. How disappointing! We chose buffet instead, which was quite a unique experience. Instead of the typical self-serve style, the buffet had staff members serving the food.

The food there was quite diverse. I chose gumbo, fried clam strips, and steamed shrimp for my first round, while S went for a massive meatball sandwich loaded with cheese. For the second round, I had sushi rolls, fried rice, green beans, and a delightful tiramisu for dessert. The shrimp and tiramisu were especially delicious.

After our meal, I tried my luck on a slot machine inserting a couple of $20 bills. The sounds, lights, and images on the screen were enjoyable, even though I didn’t win.

When we were back home, I looked at S’s recent blood test results. He has pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and triglycerides. I worry about his health, especially knowing his habits of indulging in sugary and fatty snacks, smoking, and consuming energy drinks. We discussed his plans to go to the gym and find an indoor tennis court in a nearby state. It’s nice to see his intentions to make positive changes for his health.

Mon, 08/21/2023 – Lesson ingrained

Today, I had a minor burn on my left hand. I handled a hot pan from the oven with a mitt, then took it off. In a hurry to continue cooking, I placed the pan back on the stove, forgetting that it was still scorching. Right at the moment I grasped the pan, a searing pain shot through my hand. I instinctively pulled it away, cradling it in shock. S quickly stepped up, submerged my hand in a pack of ice water for 15 minutes, then dried it off and applied cream, typically used for soothing the pain caused by cosmetic industry acid injections. It may have seemed like an unusual remedy, but it worked wonders. This is a hard-learned lesson for me which I would likely never forget: always use a mitt when handling a hot pan.

My forgetfulness continued. I kept boiling water and let it cool, only to realize I hadn’t put tea in. And it wasn’t just once; it happened four times. Can you believe it? I did it so many times that I became frustrated with myself. 

In the evening, I pondered the meaning of life, the choices I’ve made, the paths I’ve taken, and the impact I’m making. There’s a feeling of being trapped in my comfort zone and a sense of urge telling me it’s time to take action. Sometimes, finding myself caught between the awareness of the need for change and the stressful anxiety of not feeling ready is extremely hard to bear.

Wed, 8/23/2023 – Colonoscopy

S had a colonoscopy and the operation went well. We headed straight to Golden Corral after leaving the hospital for his first meal after almost 2 days of no food. Of course, his plate was full of carbs, meat, and cheese.

Fri, 8/25/2023 – Chores

Watered plants and grass, did the laundry (clothes and bathroom rugs), cleaning Dozer’s bed covers, vacuumed the downstairs, and folded clothes. Next, cooked instant noodles for S with eggs, beef and mixed greens, boiled sweet potato for myself, put the dishes away, cleaned the kitchen, and wiped off a stain from the stair carpet. Then, went to Walmart for groceries and coffee filters (8-12 cups). Later, went out for dinner at a Greek restaurant, which I chose quite randomly with the belief that Mediterranean food rarely disappoints. The place has a unique “factory” design, offering a buffet-style service where you could customize your own meal from an array of options. Despite my initial hesitation, I had a culinary adventure with a bowl of mixed lamb, grilled chicken, green beans, rice, feta cheese, yogurt ranch, salsa, and assorted nuts. It was flavorful but I believe if I order next time, my choice would be better. S, on the other hand, enjoyed a steak sandwich with his characteristic quick-eating style.

Sun, 8/27/2023 – Fun at Buc-cees

We picked up an assortment of goodies at Buc-ees. S’s selection was filled with bold flavors – ghost pepper jerky, various sandwiches, cheese cakes, and more. Meanwhile, I opted for a burrito, dried beef and kolaches. They were all delicious. 

Returning home, I stained painting frames. The original honey teak shade turned out to be a far cry from what I had envisioned, so intolerable that I decided to fix it. I applied a coat of Province 211 to tone down the color, which definitely looks much better. Making a frame is a painful task as it requires a lot of patience, details, and precision. There are so many steps involved and usually you have to wait between steps, including staining, sealing, gluing, clamping, etc. I really admire S for the enormous effort he put into this project. 

Wed, 8/30/2023

Did yoga, took supplements and wore a hydrating facial mask. The mask was infused with hyaluronic acid, known for its skin-nourishing properties. It was a natural product that contained pear extract and plant squalane oil, promising to intensely hydrate and boost skin’s moisture levels.

Went to the clinic for baseline and blood tests. Thankfully, the results were positive, showing a count of 10 on the left and 6 on the right. This meant I was given the green light to begin the stimulation drugs starting tomorrow. I also asked the nurse if it was safe to use Lupron as I noticed small bubbles in the jar, which I was afraid was due to the heat during transportation caused by my broken car air conditioning. She assured me it was fine to use.

Back home, taught BBH English and then made stuffed burgers. I flavored lean ground beef with steak seasoning. Using a press, I created a patty with a hollow center to place Colby jack cheese and olives. Then, added another layer of beef and pressed them down using the lid of the press.

Next, I stewed beef with nutmegs and dried mushrooms; the kitchen was filled with delicious aromas.

After cooking, I moved on to some chores including checking the list of IVF drugs to order, folding the clothes, doing the laundry, spraying pesticides and fungicides on sick heucheras, and cleaning Sam’s litter box.

Thurs, 8/31/2023

Whipped up lunch with fried potatoes as an improvisation since I was out of milk to make mashed potatoes. Partially cooked in the microwave, heated oil, tossed them in, sprinkled beer batter and fried them to crispy perfection. Then, added some garlic salt and melted a generous layer of Colby jack cheese on top. It turned out S’s favorite dish. But actually any food loaded with cheese and butter would automatically be his go-to choice.

Nothing else to write down for today. Just a regular day of doing chores.