A Busy Sunday

   Tennis at 8:00 a.m. today and it was quite pleasant. However, by the time we stopped it was really heating up. We plan to keep playing early for a few more weeks yet. Straight into the pool when I got home before having a late breakfast. I did eat a banana to sustain me while we were playing.

   Used up what may be the last zucchini today, there don't seem to be any more setting. That will be a disappointment as last year they went on forever! I made a chocolate zucchini cake which I will take to the tennis social on Tuesday. It turned out well and I cut it into 36 small squares so everyone can try it. That used 1 cup, grated. Then I cubed the rest and it went into the dinner casserole along side a lamb chop and other vegetables. That will probably do me two days. It really was too hot to have the oven on but at least I had two things to bake. Now the A/C is working overtime!

   The tomatoes are coming on gangbusters. As predicted, every meal at the moment has tomatoes in some form or another. My favourite lunch is Panzanella which is an Italian tomato and bread salad in which the bread soaks up all the juices from the tomato and the vinaigrette. I toss in other veggies, olives, chunks of cheese or whatever needs eaten up. Yummy! A gigantic tomato  went into tonight's casserole with the other veggies so it will be more like a stew, I think. 

    I didn't sit out very long after my swim today as it was just too hot. I have to cut the grass this evening but I will wait until the sun goes down. It will still be a hot, sticky job!

Technology!

    I tried to use my credit card this morning while doing my weekly grocery shop and it was declined. This is a card that has never given me problems before but it repeatedly was rejected. Luckily, I had another card so was able to use it. When I got home I checked online and it appeared to be OK so called the company. They were able to confirm that the card was in good standing and couldn't explain why it was rejected. Their only solution was to try using it again to see what happens. Meanwhile I didn't get my PC points or redeem some to reduce the bill. Very frustrating! Has this ever happened to you?

    I have a couple of good books to recommend. The first is "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus, a light-hearted and satirical look at romance and friendship through the eyes of a chemist. I really enjoyed it. The other was a bit heavier, dealing with death and loss of loved ones, but don't let this put you off as it is well worth the read. It's "Dear Edward" by Ann Napolitano. I plan to propose it for next year's book club.

   Now I have finally run out of my summer collection of good reads so will have to start scouring the library shelves to tide me over until September. Any suggestions will be gladly accepted!

First Tomato

     I've had a couple of grape tomatoes already but today was the first of the regular ones. The vines are very heavy laden (i had to prop one up that was leaning heavily over) so I am expecting a big crop, unless the varmints get them! I have one, still green, that is the size of both my hands!

   It was extremely hot today so much so I couldn't sit outside even in a wet swimsuit. We played tennis early which wasn't too bad and I had a swim when I got home. My tomato and cheese sandwich for lunch was yummy and I will put the rest in a salad to have with dinner. Probably every meal will contain some ideation of tomato for the next month or two.

   I haven't had to use the A/C much this summer but it came on this afternoon so I stayed in my cool office and took care of some paperwork and phone calls that have been pending for a few days. All but one sorted (cancelling the tech support for my new computer, son-in-law declared it an unnecessary expense) but I will try them again later. 

    

Sunday in the 'burbs

    I made the Mango and Rhubarb chutney this afternoon and I am happy with how it turned out. It's a really easy recipe, just boil everything together until you get the right consistency. There's still some rhubarb left so maybe another rhubarb cake is in the offing!

   We played tennis for an hour early this morning (can't believe we used to play for two hours) then I came home for a late breakfast and the Sunday newspapers. Now I am all caught up on the news. Two dips in the pool today, one after tennis and another after a bit of gardening. And that's my Sunday, done and dusted!

Some good news and some bad news

    Picked another zucchini today, not sure how it will be prepared but it will keep a few days before I have to use it. Suggestions are welcome!

    I was off early this morning for my grocery shopping, mostly fruit and veg. The mangoes were still on special so I picked up another and may make some rhubarb and mango chutney. Last week's one went into a salad although I had left it just a day too long and some of it was squishy!

   After the deluge yesterday and having to drain off so much rain water, I now am having to refill the pool as it seems to have sprung another leak! It lost a couple of inches overnight but luckily stopped above the bottom of the skimmer so I am able to keep the filter running for the time being. The next day or two should reveal what needs to be done. No doubt it will cost me a pretty bundle whatever the result!

Weather Complaints

   Torrential rain today for several hours and flooding all over the city. We had only managed one set of tennis before the skies opened and driving home was horrendous. When I got home I had a fairly big puddle in my basement but it is all mopped up now and should dry out pretty quickly. 

   With all the rain the pool almost overflowed but I had called a friend who advised to do a backwash out to the street to lower the level. However, now I see the liner has detached from the cement wall and will have to be pumped out - another big bill, I suppose! Pool-related expenses have been brutal this year. 

   Now the sun is out and it is getting steamy. The grass badly needs cut but I will wait until the sun goes down to give the grass a chance to dry off and it will be cooler by then. That's it for today, folks!

First Produce

    Apart from a few raspberries (a very small crop this year after last year's bumper one), I finally got to pick a zucchini today. It wasn't very big but was enough to make a batch of fritters. It made 6 fritters and I had three with my evening meal and will have the rest tomorrow. It was a very easy recipe from Lidia's cook book, just grated zucchini, an egg and some flour with baking powder and salt mixed in. It probably took me 20 minutes to make and cook. I think the secret is to squeeze the grated zucchini in a kitchen towel to remove as much moisture as possible, then they fry up nice and crisp.

    We had quite heavy rain this afternoon so, since I was house bound I made a loaf in my bread machine. It will be cool enough to slice soon so that's my last chore for today.

Strawberry Social

    It was all white on the courts today as we celebrated Wimbledon with a strawberry social. It was hot again and, after a couple of sets of tennis,  we were happy to adjourn to the clubhouse for a special treat provided by some of our members.

   First we got a plate of strawberries and cream on scones or shortcake and were able to add other treats - watermelon slices (so refreshing), chocolate eclairs and ice cream cones. This has become a regular event and is very popular, as you can imagine. Who doesn't like the summer freshness of strawberries and cream? 

   The Mens semi-finals at Wimbledon were on the TV but not too many were interested, preferring to socialize with new and old friends. After all, isn't this what retirement is all about?

The End of the Strawberries

   Hot and humid again. I went to tennis early (as did many others) but by 10:15 I was done. A few managed to hang on until noon but I spent the rest of the morning in the clubhouse watching Wimbledon or chatting to other dropouts!

   It was a two swim day, first when I got home from the tennis courts and again after doing some gardening. By then it had clouded over enough to be able to stay outside but it was still pretty humid so I was quite sweaty. The rhyme says that "Horses sweat, men perspire and women gently glow" but I was definitely sweating!

   I used up the last of the strawberries in a crumble with more rhubarb and will have that for dessert over the next couple of days. It's really too hot to have the oven on but needs must!

Strawberry Fields For Ever

    Hot and humid today. I was out early on a hunt for strawberries but I had missed the "pick-your-own" season by a couple of weeks. Don't know where my head was!

   I found a farmer's market that had flats of 6 punnets, local berries but much more than I would have paid to pick them myself. I figure I paid $14 for the luxury of not having to bend over the plants and grovel for berries. Also, quite a few were spoiled whereas when you pick yourself you make sure you only take the perfect berries!

   I made two batches of jam and have quite a few berries left for eating. The second batch was half rhubarb which I have an abundance of at the moment. Adding in the sugar I used, I figure each jar cost about $2.50, a bit less than buying at the store. I had a few left from last year so will have more than enough to use myself and give away as hostess gifts. My friends really like my homemade jam! 

Canada Day

   There was lots of red and white on the tennis courts this morning for our Canada Day social (free if you wore red and white, the colours of our flag; actually the socials are free for all adult members anyway but everyone got in the swim of things by dressing the part!). The weather cooperated, being sunny but not too hot and I was able to play three short sets before lunch.  

   Lunch was BBQ chicken skewers with a couple of salads, the easy option when you are feeding around 50 or 60 people. It was a great turnout, with a lucky draw after lunch so everyone went home happy. There was a massive chocolate cake with the flag featuring prominently and we all sang the national anthem with gusto before returning to the courts.  However, I called it a day at that point, having socialized enough and headed home for a nap (this is getting to be my reality these days). A bit of gardening this afternoon and a couple of swims then a light dinner and that's my Canada Day!