it didn't look like it'd be busy today, judging by the fact that we hardly got any customers all the way to 1pm, with just 3 hours left before we closed. i even started to think it was a mistake to cook 4 cups of rice, figured all that would go to waste. but then it got really busy, a non-stop torrent of customers as well as few phone orders for pickup. it was also the same time my aunt and uncle stopped by on their bike trip from arlington.
busy isn't bad, it makes the time go faster. today was weird in that we didn't get any online orders, just walk-ins and phone orders. we prefer online orders because everything is already paid for, and the only interaction we have with the customer is when they pick up their order. it was mostly noodle orders, but we still got a good amount of bento orders too (minced pork and char siu, total of 5). but the single item that got the most purchase were the bubble teas (24 orders ). we could have a shop that just sold bentos and bubble teas and could make a decent living.
around 3:45pm - during a lull where we didn't have anymore customers - we took the opportunity to take down the patio umbrella and bring in all the furnitures. when the clock struck 4pm, we closed for the day. i went down to the basement to collect all the ice from the ice machine into freezer bins. i left by 4:30pm, headed off to belmont, while my sister stayed behind cleaning, and my 2nd aunt was lost in the basement rummaging through all the junk looking for stuff to throw away.
i got a chance to see all the amazon prime day stuff that arrived at my parents' place since yesterday. i especially wanted to see the levoit cordless vacuum ($180), and see how it compared to the dyson. it was a lot bigger than i expected - which isn't a problem for me - but my mother made it a requirement that the new vacuum be small. the larger size meant a more robust "engine" and the vacuum has great suction, i'd say even rivaling the shark vacuum. my mother liked it was cordless, even though she kept experiencing phantom cord syndrome. she vacuumed the cobwebs from the ceiling with an attachment, and went through the house vacuuming the floor and carpet. it was intuitive enough that afterwards my mother figured out how to empty the dust canister: what came out was pretty amazing, it managed to suck up a lot dust (and animal hairs) after just a few minutes of use.
i also checked out the massage gun (renpho R3 $70), a lot smaller than i expected (my mother was afraid it might be too big). it has 5 speed settings, but i don't know why anyone would use any speed other than maximum. i don't have any muscle aches that could benefit from a vibrating massager, but it's fun moving it around my body and feeling the vibration when it hits bone.
i didn't have much time to do an garden inspection, and i assumed my father had already watered given that the hose was just out on the lawn. the grass at this point is a lost cause given the heatwave. it almost gives me a sense of pride to see our lawn practically entirely yellow while some neighbors (with underground sprinklers) have kept theirs unnaturally green. we're the neighbors who really care about the environment and don't waste much needed water during a period of drought!
we pruned the lemon verbana last week, and already new leaves are starting to poke up from the bare stalks. it'd be great if we can train them to grow out as a tiny bush instead of a few tall thin branches. our two surprise gardenia flower buds? well, one of them has already yellowed at the base, and from past experience we know that's a sign it's about to cast off. the other flower bud is still doing fine for the time being. while inspecting the squashes, i saw a clutch of eggs underneath one of the leaves. it's either cucumber beetles or squash bugs, either way they have to go. i could trim off the eggs surgically and keep them indoors to see what develops, but it's easier just to get rid of the eggs.
i brought home frozen porterhouse steaks from the cafe, but i defrosted them in the fridge when i should've left them out on the counter. by the time i realized my mistake, it was already 3pm. the topmost piece had thawed, but the 2 below were still rock solid. looks like we won't be eating steaks until monday night. instead my father grilled the 2 pans of italian sausages with fennel that i picked up from market basket. that - along with some stirfry my mother had cooked up - was our dinner.
when i got back home, i tried out the new pair of running shorts that arrived today - TSLA brand ($15). at 4 inches, it's the perfect size, not too long, and not too short either. i have another pair arriving tomorrow that's 3 inches, and i'm worried that might be too short, like i'm running in my underwear.
after a shower, i settled in to an evening of lounging. i watched the red sox game while enjoying a can of sanzo sparkling water in lychee flavor. i had the mango last night - wasn't that great - the lychee is a bit better, once you can get over the fact that there's no sugar in the drink, just flavors. it was 81 degrees inside the house and 75 degrees outside. unlike last night, i didn't try to ventilate the house, didn't even bother turning on the vornado fan. the real heatwave is next week though, when we get several days of 90+ weathers. there will plenty of future hot days to battle.