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Friday, 30 August 2019

August Coming to an End

  We are back to sunny days and cool nights but I think things are about to become more Autumnal as there is a strong cold wind this afternoon. Maybe a vestige of Hurricane Dorian?


I think I have shown this gorgeous hibiscus already but it seems to have taken on a new lease of life. There are still lots of buds on it, not that I have been looking after it particularly well.



   I haven't been in the pool for at least a week so I think this summer's swimming is well and truly over. I won't heat it once the nights start to be consistently cool. The pool guys will be closing it up in three weeks and I have overspent my pool budget by several hundred dollars so have discontinued the weekly chemical check. I will stick a puck in from time to time to stop it turning green and will keep the pump running until then.

   Tennis this morning - still a good crowd and a bit of a wait for a court. The smart ones arrive early and get a couple of games before the rest show up, then it peters off as lunch hour approaches. Still some exciting matches from the US Open on TV and still two Canadians in the mix. That's my weekend all organized!

Tuesday, 27 August 2019

A Change in the Weather

   Damp and dreary today (very Scottish weather), tennis cancelled due to the constant drizzle although I did go down to the club to do a few chores. We have a big social coming up on Labour Day, so got a start on the preparations. 

   I had a date at the bank with Carol and Linda to add me to signing privileges for RWTO, followed by lunch at Linda's. That was it for my day so spent the rest of the afternoon reading and watching the U.S. Open. My current book, "The Suspect" by Fiona Barton, is reaching its climax but I have another waiting in the wings. Hope it is sunny and dry tomorrow!

Monday, 26 August 2019

A Great Day

    Two things to talk about today. The first was a big win at Bridge. My partner and I had been trailing all afternoon but on the last hand we had a huge win (I was playing it). We bid 3 No Trump and only lost one trick so got points for three tricks over and a bonus for making our bid game! It was quite thrilling!!

   For dinner tonight I used vegetables form the garden to make ratatouille. It was very good! I used the one and only eggplant, a couple of red peppers and  tomatoes. There was also a "bought" onion but everything else was from the garden, even the garlic. I think what made it extra tasty was the addition of a pinch of brown sugar and a splash of vinegar. There was also potato salad made with some baby potatoes I dug up. They should really have had another couple of weeks but the plants were dying off so I thought, "What the heck!", and they were small but quite ready.

   So a very good day with lots of positives - plus the U.S Open started today (Serena Williams just beat Maria Sharapova, 6-1, 6-1) so I will have plenty to watch for the next two weeks. Life is good!

Sunday, 25 August 2019

So Lazy!

   I have been neglecting my blog recently - the weather has been too nice to sit inside typing. The days are still gloriously sunny and hot but the nights are cooling off dramatically - makes for a better night's sleep. I haven't been in the pool since last Thursday as it is only 70F and I doubt it will warm up again before it is closed next month. 

   Picking tomatoes like mad and have also had some red peppers, an eggplant and one cucumber which snuck through the fence from my neighbour's garden! I made a very tasty ratatouille last week and added chicken thighs for a very quick dinner. Tonight is fish with, of course, tomatoes (every meal must use up some tomatoes) and probably corn or peas. 

   I had a good hour and a half of tennis this morning (won one set and lost the other) and have just been vegging and reading ever since. Not much on TV tonight so I will watch a movie from the library.

   The family - including the lizard - are back in their own (renovated) home since Thursday but the cat is still here until they put everything to rights. The contractor will be back for a couple of finishing touches and then their furniture will be brought back up from the basement. I can't wait to see the "reveal"!

Second blooming of the wigelia.

The insects love these cone flowers. They have done well this year.



Saturday, 17 August 2019

Garden Plenty

   The family are staying at their trailer this weekend so I have the house to myself until Sunday evening - just the cat, the lizard and me! Their kitchen is going in (hopefully) this coming week so they may be moving back quite soon. 

   It took me a few days to get over all the excitement of the Rogers Cup and my shifts on the main gate and the final party on Sunday. By Wednesday I was more or less back to my usual routines so nothing much to report. The weather continues very summery but the evenings are cooling off. On Thursday we finally had some rain (the grandkids were in the pool having a hilarious time during the shower) and more rain this morning so the garden is losing its dry, parched look. I managed to fill a bucket of weeds this afternoon once it had dried off, then needed a swim as it is still very humid. 

    I am getting loads of tomatoes and the peppers are starting to turn red. A friend gave me some plum tomatoes on Friday so I made a sauce with them and had it for dinner. Also I dug up a few early potatoes and had them for dinner too. 

Red peppers getting there!



Some tomatoes that didn't go in the tomato sauce. I will just eat them with lunches. The yellow one on top is called Green Zebra and is supposed to have a "zippy" taste (whatever that means). I hope it is ripe, it's rather hard to judge.

Friday, 9 August 2019

A Hectic Week

Haven't been near the computer for several days as I am volunteering at the Roger's Cup Tennis Tournament in Toronto this week. Lots of big name women players but I have only managed to see part of some occasional matches before and after my shifts. Will update proceedings after the tournament is over.

Thursday, 1 August 2019

Out With the Old.......

…..and in with the new - lawnmowers, that is. My ancient one (I thought I may have had it ever since I moved here 21 years ago but I seem to remember buying one shortly after I moved). In any case, it was pretty well used and finally gave up the ghost the other day. 

Here it is, sitting at the curb, in the hope that someone will pick it up for parts.

As lawns keep on growing it was imperative that a new one be purchased. So that was my task of the day and I found one relatively quickly and easily. It was the cheapest one available - a little narrow, only cuts a 14" swath at a time - but much easier to push around than the old one. I'm sure I will be happy with it.