Say It Isn't So!

   This is what greeted me when I got up this morning. It certainly looks like March is going out like a lion!

   
    Fortunately, as the day progressed it did get a little milder and there were a few blinks of sun, so the snowy stuff has largely disappeared. But it was rather a shock to the system to have to be out cleaning off the car and driving on snowy roads. I had hoped that was a thing of the past for this year at least. Back to boots and gloves!

Disappointing News

   First really Spring-like day with the house warming up nicely. No need for the furnace until the sun goes down. I took the cover off the A/C unit although we won't need it for a few weeks yet. 

   I also tidied up some borders although there are still patches of stubborn ice in shaded places. Here is the last snow bank to melt - another day or two like this should do it.

    This isn't the biggest one on my street but fairly substantial for the end of March.

  The disappointing news is that the Pool Maintenance company I have used for most of my 20 years with a pool, are cutting back on their clients and will no longer be servicing in my area. I am very sad as I have got to know and trust the main guys for all my pool problems (and there have been many). The good news is they are passing me on to another trusted company and have promised the service will be of similar quality and price. Fingers crossed! 

Still no grass to cut

   Still waiting for all the snow to melt but the upside is I won't have to cut the grass for a few weeks yet.

   Long boring RTO meeting this morning - we didn't finish until 12:30. But this is my last as Secretary so my last set of Minutes. I do have to prepare the File of Reports for the AGM in May but will only have to write my own reports. The others will be sent to me to incorporate in the document. Then my time as Secretary will be over. No one has stepped up to take on the job but I am adamant it won't be me!

   After sitting all morning I had a nice long walk this afternoon, ostensibly to deposit a cheque for my RTO expenses. It was quite a sizable sum so that will help my bank account. I like to have a purpose for my walks and that certainly was a good use of my time and effort.

An Eventful Monday

   Currently watching the "maestro" (Roger Federer) demolish his opponent on the tennis courts at Miami. The first set was close but he is now in full flow and taking no prisoners.  A joy to be seen!

   I had two large cups of full strength coffee at this morning's Hava Java social  and have been feeling jittery ever since. Note to self: stick to Decaf! We had a huge turnout and were close to running out of treats and parking spots. We may have outgrown this location (Calabria Bakery) and might need to look for an alternative spot. Next month's meeting will tell if this is just a glitch or the way of the future. We all like Calabria as it is central and easily accessible by public transit.

   My partner and I had a successful run at Bridge this afternoon with good cards and successful contracts. We will be back for more of the same next week.

A New Vintage

    The weekend has just sped past and not much to show for it. I had two really good walks and my tricky knee is all the better for the exercise. Nice enough days - sunny yesterday and milder today so, no complaints.

    Today I made a pot of soup to do me this week and a loaf in the bread machine. Both turned out well. More tennis on TV, one Canadian out but two more into the round of 16. A busy week coming up so it was good to have a couple of days of just pottering.

   Finally found this wine at the LCBO yesterday -  it's Spanish, look for it in the Southern European section. It was highly recommended and cheap but sold out quickly. So yesterday I took two bottles. It is very tasty if you like Merlot.

Toro Bravo 2017

What Season Is It?

   A chilly day and very strong winds this afternoon. The trees are bending fearsomely! But we now have some sun after flurries earlier in the day. Mother Nature just can't seem to decide if winter is over or not!

   Not much on today but I did some banking in the morning then went to Pickleball. It wasn't very busy so I got to play lots. I was done by 1:30 and home for a nap. More tennis from Miami. The Canadian is still in the mix and played well this afternoon. 

   The fire is on but I can hear the wind whistling in the chimney. Hope it dies down overnight and I don't lose any shingles!

A Meeting, Lunch and a Movie

   Probus meeting this morning and I managed to postpone breakfast until 9:30. The speaker today was `ho-hum` (how to deal with stress and depression) and I know any stress I experience is self-induced. I just have to say `no` to stressful work!

   After the meeting we went to Boston Pizza for lunch. I had a chicken quesadilla. The Caesar salad was a bit insipid and I`m not sure there was much chicken in the quesadilla, but it was tasty and only $10. So what`s to complain about. Still stuffed so just soup for dinner again, my home made carrot and lentil.

   Tonight I am watching a DVD, `Light Between Oceans`. I have read the book, a very moving and lyrical story, so I am sure I will enjoy the movie. 

Finally Spring!

   Pleasant weather for the first day of Spring - ice on the puddles this morning but sunny all day. I walked to and from the senior's centre but it was very quiet there as the winter classes are done and the Spring classes don't start for a couple of weeks. I didn't sell much coffee and only one meat pie!

   I have been watching tennis from Miami today - early rounds - but a Canadian  man did get through quite convincingly. We don't get to see many women's matches and were especially disappointed not to see a Canadian woman winning the tournament at Indian Wells last week. 

   Dance group this evening and for once I am not reluctant to go out in the evening as it will still be light. Better get on with dinner.

   

A Change of Diet

   I read a newspaper article on the weekend suggesting that delaying breakfast a couple of days a week resulted in your body burning fat. The theory is that you are extending your overnight fast until you body tells you it is really hungry. Nothing daunted I decided to try it this week so waited until 10:30 to have anything, in this case half a banana, a granola bar and a coffee. 

    Unfortunately, this was "Ladies Who Lunch" day with the retired teachers so I had a rather substantial lunch - salad with Greek dressing (I skipped the roll), roast beef and veggies and a huge slice of apple pie. It was all really delicious (I very rarely have red meat) but I felt rather stuffed by the end of the meal, not a very comfortable feeling. Then I came home and promptly slept for over an hour!

   Tonight it will be just a bowl of soup around 7:00 p.m. and maybe some fruit, but I will try again tomorrow. It should be easier to implement the new regime as I will mostly be at home. Wish me luck!

Signs of Life

  There are still piles of snow here and there but, in the warmer spots, things are starting to appear. I cleared a pile of pine cones and needles from the deck where it is south facing, so it is a little tidier out there.

Still early days but these could be daffodils.

And possibly some tulips. You can see the ground is still very wet from the melted snow.

   I had a lovely pre-prandial snack tonight - a slice of yesterday's soda bread with cream cheese and smoked salmon. I have cooked an eggplant casserole and a chicken leg for dinner but may save them for tomorrow.

Erin Go Bragh!

     A soda bread for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. This was a first attempt for me and I have to say it turned out really well. Can't wait to take a bite out of it!

   Watching tennis from Indian Wells, California and a Canadian is in the semi-final. So far they have split the first two sets so it is nail-biting time. They are both big servers (Raonic and Theim) so there aren't too many long rallies. Both sets so far went to tie breaks.

    I was back in my winter coat today and there have been a few flurries but also some sun. It's as if Mother Nature is reluctant to let go of winter. Personally I will be glad to see the back of it.  

Bored!

    Last Fitness class for 3 weeks today - don't know what I will do with myself on Wednesday and Friday mornings until they start up again. Pickleball was cancelled this afternoon as the community centre was being used for students' programs during March Break but will be back next week as will my Tuesday Bridge. Luckily I have a good book to read, "In the Midst of Winter" by Isabel Allende. It is the April selection for my book club. The March book, "Bellevue Square", I have already read and didn't enjoy - very confusing -  so, 'nuff said.

   I made some shortbread cookies this afternoon - I am on treats at dance group on Monday - and they are in the freezer to prevent nibbling! I will make one other treat on the weekend, probably brownie or some sort of squares. 

   Sad news, my favourite foodie magazine, Ricardo, is calling it quits and I received the last edition today. They will continue with a French version (it's from Quebec) but I have decided to take the offered refund. I will miss it.

The food photos are all tantalizing!

   

Getting Greener

   Patches of green beginning to show here and there and the thermometer almost registered double digit numbers this afternoon - there was even a blink of sun! Tonight we have been promised rain and a thunder storm. That should clean things up considerably. I have given up wearing my winter coat and will just shiver in my Spring jacket from now on.

   Tennis this morning and I was the big winner with two sets to the good. I had good partners! Several errands to complete on my way home but by lunch time everything was done and it has been a quiet afternoon. One gripe - our sports channel has been showing tennis matches from Indian Wells all week (still a couple of Canadians playing) but I haven't been home to watch. Now that I had an afternoon at home, nothing was on! Murphy's Law! Quite appropriate I suppose as we approach St. Patrick's Day.

March Break

   Good news for the kiddies and teachers but not so much for the rest of us. Bridge was cancelled this afternoon for children's programs at the community centre and I think I may not get to Pickleball on Friday for the same reason. I will have to check that. My other programs are still on.

   I went for quite a long walk this morning as it was sunny and mild - still having to avoid icy patches. Then this afternoon I went to see "Greta" a very scary movie which I only recommend to those with a tough disposition. The movie theatre was very busy with kids off school but most had come to see other shows so I got a decent seat. 

   Not much on TV this evening but I have some DVD's from the library. Fried fish, mashed sweet potato and peas for dinner followed by a minneola. That should keep me going until breakfast tomorrow.

Spring Forward

   We put the clocks forward an hour last night and I seem to have been behind the eight-ball all day. Usually it doesn't disturb me, not sure why this time.

   I had a really early phone call this morning about the position of Court Monitor at the tennis club that I advertised last week. I think we have a likely candidate, will just run it by the Executive for approval. That will be one thing off my plate if the new candidate actually works out. We had a terrible time last year trying to keep people in the job. It's pretty thankless (requires a lot of janitorial work) and only pays minimum wage. Fingers crossed!

   Rainy and gusty today but the snowbanks continue to shrink. No grass showing yet.

Still Waiting for Spring

   After a week of sunny days but still freezing temperatures, it finally looks as if the big melt is about to take place. I was out for quite a while this afternoon trying to break up some of the ice on the edges of the driveway to give myself a bit more room to drive in off the road. Tomorrow we should get some rain which will speed the melting but then on Monday we are getting some more snow!

   Life has been trundling along as usual with me which is why the lack of posts. I did attend a very tasty Pancake breakfast at the Senior's Centre on Shrove Tuesday (the full breakfast for just $5) and my oldest grandson's 13th Birthday dinner yesterday, our first teenager, so there were a few highlights. Oh, and yesterday I had my first ever massage, a prize I won last Fall but never got around to using. It was wonderfully relaxing but no lasting improvement in back and neck pain, hey ho!

It was mild enough to hang out some laundry today but, unfortunately, the clothes line is still inaccessible.

This is where my rhubarb should be beginning to emerge but it is still under two feet of ice and snow!

In Like a Lamb

    March, that is. We have had a couple of sunny days and it almost feels as if the big thaw is ready to start, snow melt dripping off the eaves and puddles growing at the bottom of driveways. However, there is still so much snow around it will be some time before we see any green. 

   Having said that, we are still forecast to have another couple of inches of the white stuff tomorrow but I think (and sincerely hope) that the major storms are behind us.

    Just my usual Friday - Fitness class in the morning and Pickleball this afternoon - but I did manage to clear a path through the drifts to my back yard and also got a pot of soup simmering for the weekend. So quite a lot accomplished.

The snow piles are huge this year - the most we've had in a while.

Can't believe I shifted all that snow - and most of it by shovel too!

Today's sun has helped clear the ice from the sidewalks. They were quite treacherous for the last few days. Roll on Spring!