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Sunday 28 May 2017

Everything Outdoors

   Spring is truly here and I have been outdoors almost all day. It's up in the low 20'sC and blue skies from wall to wall.

   I started the day with an hour on the tennis courts - Paul and me against Susan and Iona. We started out slowly and were 4-1 down at one point. But we came back and won the set 6-4. I guess we are slow starters!

   Home for coffee and a shower (it was sweaty weather) then I started on the grass. I cut the front before lunch, had lunch and a nap, then cut the back. It probably won't get a cut again until I am back home in two weeks. I did a bit of tidying up in the back yard and picked some rhubarb. I decided it would be pretty dried out by the time I got back so picked enough for a rhubarb crumble. It is now cooling off and I will see if Judy wants it when she comes to take me to the airport tomorrow. If not I will put it in the freezer.

   The house is tidy, my clothes are clean and I just need to pack them first thing tomorrow. I have a busy day (optometrist at 9:30, Hava java at 10:30 and Bridge at noon) but will be ready to head for the airport by 4:00 p.m.

   I am cooking a piece of pork tenderloin for dinner tonight. First I will cut it in slices, then flatten it before frying it for a few minutes - it doesn't need long. Last step will be to slather it in a tasty sauce - probably salsa as it needs to be used up, but last time I used my rhubarb chutney and it was very tasty.

   Almost everything in the fridge is used up except for my breakfast yogurt and something for lunch. I will save a banana to eat at the airport with a granola bar. You never know how long it will be to your next meal!

Friday 26 May 2017

A Better Day than Yesterday

   A much better day today although the morning was rather damp. My outdoor thermometer says it's 20C but it isn't even close to that indoors. I will need to go out and warm up soon!
  
   It was my day in charge at the tennis social and it took a couple of hours until the courts were dry enough to play. Only about 16 people showed up and we had to stop a couple of times when there was a little rain. I got two good sets in between the showers and was quite happy to sit and watch after that.

   I typed up the Minutes from yesterday's meeting and sent them off to the executive. That's one more job off my plate. I also cancelled the newspaper for the two weeks I am away and sorted out which clothes I am taking - some will need a wash before I pack them to freshen them up. Some I haven't worn since last summer.

   No errands today and just fish to bake for dinner. I am going to try to change my daily schedule to adjust slightly to the time change I will be experiencing next Tuesday - going to bed earlier and getting u earlier each day. Today I woke at 6:30 and will try to go to bed at 9:00 p.m. but I doubt I will be able to sleep.
Stay tuned!

Thursday 25 May 2017

A Big Mistake

   A rainy, cold day - most unseasonable, in fact it only got up to 12C and the wind was almost gale force! I got quite soaked from the car to the building when I went to the meeting this morning.

   The meeting went off OK (despite my leaving out one of the reports from the handout - it was Donna's and she took it really well). Lunch was OK, nothing special - just the usual dry chicken - but there was plenty of coffee. There was also seconds of asparagus which made up for a lot. I love asparagus!

   The rain has finally stopped but I believe we got about 20 cms. which seemingly is what we usually get in the whole month of May. No wonder the grass is growing so fast!

  Just soup and a sandwich, probably toasted cheese, for dinner tonight as I am still stuffed and am trying to eat up all the perishable stuff in the fridge before I depart on Monday. I won't be buying too many groceries on the weekend. I had a big clean up in my office this afternoon and, of course, found Donna's report, but I won't tell her. It's just too embarrassing! 

Wednesday 24 May 2017

My Day At the Senior`s Centre

   Out by 8:45 and not home until just before 3:00. The traffic lights were out on Huntingwood and the traffic was backed up with at least 30 cars in front of me at every intersection so I took a back route. It probably didn`t get me where I was going any faster but at least I was moving!

   Another lovely Spring day and I did a bit of gardening after I got home, then just lay in the sun for a while. The garden is looking very nice, I think this is my favourite time of the year, except the grass grows so fast!

   

Tuesday 23 May 2017

Catching Some D's

   Gorgeous day today, up to 20C and sunny but now it is getting dark so we might get some rain. Tennis this morning was fun - I had three good sets and spent some time sitting in the sun and chatting before leaving around 11:00 a.m. We had quite a crowd but not too much of a wait between sets.

   Yesterday's social at Don Mills was quite special! We didn't get much tennis as it was so busy, but the pot luck lunch was spectacular with foods from all sorts of ethnic groups. I contributed sausage rolls but there were noodles and dumplings, samosas, chili, and several other dishes I didn't even get to try as I was too full. The desserts were scrumptious and there was unlimited coffee. I had to take a long nap after I got home!

   This afternoon I cut both the front and back lawns as they were really in need of a cut. The lawnmower has had a good workout this Spring, mainly due to all the rain. In between I made some soup for lunches this week. Now I am quite happy to sit on the couch and relax for the rest of the evening.

Sunday 21 May 2017

Fickle Weather

   Chilly today and I have had the heat back on. I would have lit the fire too but the gas is turned off for the summer. Right now I am sitting with a rug over my knees!

   I walked up to the mall this morning in my winter jacket and really needed another sweater too. I dodged a bullet as the rain (quite heavy) started about 10 minutes after I got home. Tomorrow is the Victoria Day holiday and I am keeping my fingers crossed for nicer weather as I want to go to the tennis social at Don Mills. Lunch will be served regardless of the weather but it is much nicer if the sun is shining and we can actually get on the courts. Stay tuned!

   This afternoon I had the urge to do some baking so whipped up a couple of dozen sugar cookies. They will go in the freezer for snacks. Too tempting if they are left on the counter!

Saturday 20 May 2017

A New Book and a Tasty Dinner

Nothing much to write about today. It was sunny but cool. I did some gardening this afternoon then sat in the sun for a while. It was about 14C so I was still well wrapped up but the sun felt warm on my face.

   I started a new book yesterday - "The Woman in Cabin 10" by Ruth Ware. It has been on the best sellers list for several weeks and I think I will like it. It's from the library so I have to finish it before I leave for my trip. 

   Just laundry and shopping this morning but I managed to spend $40 at the grocery store. My freezer needed to be restocked and there were several good deals in the meat department. Tonight I am having pork tenderloin slices marinated in soy sauce and lemon juice and I will have them souvlaki style wrapped in a pita.  Yum!!

Friday 19 May 2017

A Couple of Chores

   Much cooler today, in fact it was downright cold on the tennis court this morning as there was a strong north wind. There was a surprisingly good turnout and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Not much sun until later in the afternoon and it has gone again. It only got up to 17C today.

   I finished and printed the handout for next week's RTO AGM this afternoon - I got a chance to try out the copy function on my new printer, as I wanted the document double-sided, and it worked well. Tomorrow I will take the handout to Staples to get 100 copies printed. I will be glad to see the back of it!

   I also made the final deposit for the dance group and now have to try to balance the books! It looks like we have more money in the bank than expected which is always good, but doesn't reflect well on my book keeping skills. No chance of me losing the job though as no one else wants to do it!

   I have lost the ability to load photos again - very frustrating, but will put them on Facebook.

Thursday 18 May 2017

Probus Friends

   Hot again today, high of 29C, and the house did not cool down at all overnight. But it is only 22C indoors so quite comfortable. I had a walk early (for me - 9:00 a.m.) this morning and it was sunny but now it is very black and there could be a thunder storm. No, the sun's come back out!

   Probus meeting this morning - a very poor speaker. His subject was interesting but his delivery lacked any coherence or enthusiasm. Very disappointing! After the meeting I stayed behind to hear about arrangements for the Canada sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) celebrations. We are having a potluck lunch after the June meeting and I have promised to bring 60 sausage rolls! After the meeting Donna, Marilyn and I went for lunch - at least that was enjoyable. I had minestrone soup and crab cakes.

  Home for a nap and since then I have been checking the AGM report that I need to get printed this weekend. The AGM is next Thursday, followed by lunch.

   Fish for dinner again, with Brussel sprouts this time but it may be late as I am still not too hungry.


  

Wednesday 17 May 2017

What happened to Spring?

   Very hot today - we seem to have gone straight to summer. I wonder if it will last. But the house has stayed cool and I will open all the windows tonight to try to lower the temperature some more.

   My usual day at the Seniors' Centre but with one glitch. I had planned to go to the Garden Centre in between fitness classes, but the morning kitchen person had to leave for a dentist appointment so I was co-opted to fill in. So I was behind the counter from around 10:30 until 2:30. I closed early as I had had enough and there were few customers, and went to the Garden Centre on my way home. It was very busy as it was such a good gardening day (high of 31C, one reason I didn't mind being in the air-conditioned centre) and also seniors' discount day.

   I bought some tomato and kale plants and when I got home I dug up the vegetable patch and got them in the ground. I gave them a good watering with vegetable food. Hopefully they will survive while I am away. I won't plant anything else until I get back.

   I had a nice fish dinner tonight - a basa fillet in a cheese sauce with peas. There will be enough for tomorrow. Considering I just had yogurt and a banana for breakfast, soup and half an apple for lunch and a couple of cookies with my coffee, I have eaten quite sparingly today. And not many carbs!

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Frustration

   A busy weekend and now a couple of frustrating days which I am glad are almost over. Yesterday was fine until the evening when I got in the car to go to dance group and it wouldn't start - and I had all the goodies for the last night party! Luckily I got hold of someone to let them know I would be there eventually. The tow truck came very quickly - I think it was just 10 minutes - and got it going so I wasn't very late, but a red warning light stayed on all the time I was out. It seems to have gone today but am keeping my fingers crossed!

   Today was lunch with RWTO and an interesting speaker. However, this evening I had problems with my printer and spent a good hour trying to print something before realising that the connection was "broken". Luckily, the brainy computer was able to fix it and it seems to be fine now. We'll see if it works next time I go to use it. I'm rather pleased with myself that I managed to resolve the problem without having to seek outside help.

   I spent half-an-hour on the phone with Angela tonight as she complained about one of the monitors at Kaffeeklatsch. Seemingly he is stirring things up and giving out incorrect information. I have been designated (as KK convenor) to straighten him out but I hate confrontation so have opted to do it by a general e-mail to all the monitors and hope that will resolve the problem. Another frustration - can't wait to get away on vacation!

   Just soup and a sandwich for dinner tonight as I was still full from lunch. We got lots of vegetables with the meal but the chicken (again) was rather dry and they served potatoes and rice - too many carbs. Seemingly it's a Greek thing.

Friday 12 May 2017

Everything Starting to Bloom

   A cloudy but pleasant day with a few sunny periods. I stayed at tennis for three hours and was pretty exhausted by 11:30. The trip there was much easier than Tuesday. Seemingly, that day, a rear-end collision had backed everything up. Luckily, I found an alternate route. But today the traffic was moving well.

   I got my "summer cut" at the hairdresser today and hope it will last until I get home from my trip on June 13th. Now my neck feels rather chilly but it does look much tidier.

   My chore tonight was to get the name tags ready for the RWTO lunch on Tuesday but I didn't get past the "D's". The bags will probably sit there until Monday now!

   A delicious dinner tonight - fish in a cheese and onion sauce (homemade) with a chickpea and roasted red pepper salad I got marked down at the store. It is probably a bit higher in salt than I am used to but it sure was tasty!

The forsythia in my back yard a couple of weeks ago.
   Everything is beginning to grow in the garden - tulips, violets, self-seeding forget-me-nots in all sorts of places, rhubarb, chives, asparagus.

   I have been able to take several cuttings from  the bleeding heart bush, the bee balm and a hosta plant and they seem to have taken well. Soon I will have all perennials in the garden - no need to be buying annuals every Spring. I will still want to put in some vegetables - tomatoes, kale and, this year I think I will try some radishes. Seemingly they're quite easy to grow.

  Next sunny day I will take more photos - so pleased to be able to post photos again!

Thursday 11 May 2017

Quite the Social Calender

   I decided not to go to tennis this morning as it was on the cool side (9C). I don't mind the cold if the sun is shining but it was overcast and gloomy so I went to mahjongg instead. Another new rule but it made the game even more challenging and fun. I got one win - in fact we all had one so it was a satisfying morning.

   I was replacing Pauline today at Bridge so my partner was Margrit - we had the greatest cards and even when our opponents had the contract, we were able to put them down several times. Margrit and I were pretty pleased with ourselves.

   The sun came out later and it warmed up a bit so I spent an hour in the garden - I find if I do it in small stretches, I can achieve more. It's looking pretty good out there now but I am of two minds whether to plant any veggies before I go on holiday in two weeks. I may just put in the kale and wait until I get back mid-June to plant the rest.

   A few big events coming up - the West Toronto Ball on Saturday (need to review the dances one more time), our year-end party at dance group on Monday (need to make a batch of sausage rolls and bring the plates, napkins etc.) and two weeks from today the RTO AGM for which I have to prepare (and get printed) the file of reports. I am still waiting for a couple of people to submit their reports. My blood pressure was up when I checked it at the drug store today! I will be glad when all these pressures are off me.

Wednesday 10 May 2017

Fresh Bread and Fresh Air

Oh, I have been so lazy with blogging the last few days - only excuse I have been on the go all day. Today is finally up in the low 'teens but still chilly in the shade. At least it is dry and sunny!

   Bridge on Monday was cancelled so I had a quiet day and just out for dance group in the evening. Tuesday was a tennis morning, sunny but a bit cool, and I meant to leave by 11:00 a.m. for Bridge lesson but got waylaid and only made it to the later lesson. It was very helpful, though, and I'm glad I made the effort to go. In the evening I went to Jean Noble's class as she was reviewing all the dances for Saturday's Ball. There was a bigger than usual turnout as lots of extra people were there to have a last go at learning the dances - some are quite tricky.

   Today was another busy day - I went to Fitness class then straight to walking group (took my coffee "to go"). We went to Thomson Park which is quite an easy walk. It was very pleasant to get out in the fresh air and walk (briskly!) with friends. Then a brief stop at home to change clothes and make lunch before heading back to the Seniors' Centre for my shift in the kitchen. It went fairly quickly and we made a bunch of money  - the coffee has gone up in price ($1 instead of 75 cents, still a bargain) - and sold quite a few meat pies. Lastly an hour in the garden pulling weeds. Thank goodness I have a night at home tonight!

    After eating leftovers for 4 days I finally had some fresh food, salmon and peas yesterday, curried chicken thighs and green beans tonight and will have fruit for dessert. I made a soda bread on Monday (that's the problem with staying home, temptation!) and have eaten half of it already - it is so good!

This is my walking group on a cold day in March. I am bottom left. Finally able to load photos!


Sunday 7 May 2017

Finally the Rain Has Stopped

   I had difficulty sleeping last night and I know exactly why. We were entertaining at a church supper yesterday evening and were given coffee and strudel after. I knew I shouldn't have drunk the coffee but it went so well with the strudel (which was delicious) that  I threw caution to the winds. Bad idea!

   I picked up the grandkids at 9:30 this morning despite feeling sleep deprived and we headed to a free tennis lesson at a local tennis club. It was on the cool side but they were well wrapped up. The sun came out as we arrived, no rain today. Unfortunately, the organizers, in their infinite wisdom, had decided to postpone the event due to the weather. We were all very disappointed especially as the cancellation message was sent out after we left home! Instead we went to my tennis club and hit balls for a while with mixed success - not the way I had planned the morning to go. After lunch I took the kids back home and finally got back to my place for much needed nap. I hope I sleep better tonight, I will just have camomile tea or hot milk before I go to bed.

    I got the front grass cut this afternoon and tidied up the borders but that did me in and I have been stretched out on the sofa reading since.

Friday 5 May 2017

A Dreary Day

   Fire's on again today and it is going down to 4C tonight and 1C tomorrow night. It has rained all day and yesterday as well, so we are thoroughly waterlogged! No tennis this morning and I couldn't work in the garden either so resorted to a jigsaw puzzle to pass the time.

   The rest of the day I spent reading (I did do my morning workout) and will soon have the TV on. This weather is getting me down. When will we see some sun?

Thursday 4 May 2017

Printer Purchased and Installed

   Feeling very proud of myself today as I have accomplished this dreaded task - I am rather technology challenged! The only problem is the printer I bought only prints in black and white - no colour. I guess I presumed it did colour or didn't register when the salesman told me it was just black and white. Luckily I don't need colour very often. Now I won't need to be running to the library every time I need something printed. They only do black and white there too.

   It has rained all day today and hasn't got above 10C - we are getting rather waterlogged! I had planned to cut the grass this afternoon but it was just too wet. I went to mahjong this morning and Pauline taught us a new rule. Now we are all thrown into a state of flux and trying to absorb this new information. I have missed the last two weeks so it felt like starting from scratch.

   I am treating myself to several jumbo shrimp fried in garlic butter tonight - no special occasion, just feel like a treat. I won't even worry about any pasta or veggies, just have a small salad with it, and lots of seafood sauce. Yummy!!

Tuesday 2 May 2017

First Day of Kafeeklatsch

   For my new readers, Kaffeeklatsch is the tennis social I help to run at the outdoors tennis courts, and today was our inaugural day. Unfortunately, the weather gods did not shine kindly on us as we had a very cool day and the rain started after just half an hour of play. Our usual turnout is between 30 and 40 players (we have six courts) but we had only six hardy folk who showed up.

   However, there was coffee so we retired to the clubhouse for a cup of java and a chinwag as we hadn`t seen each other since last October. The upside was that I was able to get to Bridge class by 11:30 and benefit from Frank`s superb instruction. That lasted until 2:30 as we bring our lunch and take a break around 1:00 to refuel.

  I had a very tasty hors dòevres (don`t think I spelled that correctly) with a glass of rosé tonight. It was half a mashed avocado covered with salsa and a topping of grated, extra old cheddar and tostitos to dip into it. Chicken thighs are going in the oven shortly with a mushroom sauce and I will finish off the broccoli casserole and sweet potato mash from yesterday.

   It only got up to 10C today - we are still waiting for more seasonal temperatures. At least all the rain is helping the grass and the spring flowers grow!