Tax Return Weekend

     After the usual Saturday chores (laundry, baking, shopping) I got started on my tax return. I had filled in all the details earlier this month and had a good idea that I would only owe a small amount. It is due to be mailed by Tuesday so I started checking and rechecking the numbers. Only found one small error which didn't change much and I should be able to finish it tomorrow. It's always a relief to finally drop it in the mailbox!

   Starting to see some buds on the trees but the forsythia is almost over and a neighbour's magnolia tree is in full bloom. I have a generous showing of daffodils this year and the tulips should be appearing soon. So, Spring is definitely in the air. Next week will be busy with a lunch out, visit to the dentist and Book Club - all on the same day, so will relax for the rest of the weekend.

    

Easter Weekend

     I have had a lovely four-day weekend, mostly because I came to the end of my wine and chocolate abstinence! I had my first glass of wine (actually a vodka cooler) on Friday followed by wine with the Easter meal yesterday and more of the same today. There was lots of chocolate on offer yesterday too and I more than had my fair share with oodles still to polish off in the coming days. 

   Despite abstaining for almost three months I haven't lost any weight whatsoever but at least these two treats are obviously not contributing to my current weight. Now I will concentrate on my diet - maybe cutting back on carbs and increasing my workouts. Tennis will start up soon so that will undoubtably help.

   Easter meal yesterday went off well - a delicious leg of lamb with all the fixings - although oldest grandson was missing as he still had one more exam to complete before returning home from Trent U. later this week. I sent some goodies home for him and there were still some leftovers for me today.

    The weather has been a mixed bag but I got out to vote in the advance poll today between rain showers. The sun is now shining and once the grass dries off I will be out to give it its first cut of the year. I managed to pick some daffodils and forsythia for the Easter dinner table, a cheerful display!

Tariffs

    I had my first experience of tariff fallout this week when I grocery shopped. The can of orange juice concentrate which I normally buy, has always been around $1.79 for years. Now it is $3! I will have to be more careful when shopping, obviously! Luckily I only bought one but I think I will have to switch to apple juice which I presume will be a product of Canada. I didn't buy potatoes as they were from the U.S., which I don't understand as we grow plenty of potatoes in Canada. I bought sweet potatoes instead and they were cheaper anyway. We are being encouraged to buy local produce whenever possible.

    I have started a new Wednesday routine which is working well - a new (and free) fitness class at a local church at 9:30, home for my second breakfast of coffee and toast, then a 20 minute walk at 11:30 (more exercise) to the Seniors' Centre for my volunteer duty in the kitchen. Then more exercise walking home again at 3:00 p.m. I will sleep well tonight with all that fresh air and exercise!

   In case you're wondering, my first breakfast was a banana and yogurt smoothie which I drank in the car while stopped at traffic lights on the way to the church. Also, after the class we were offered a protein shake and granola bar but I brought them home to have another time. I'm not trying to lose weight, just eat sensibly and, more importantly, only eat when I'm actually hungry!

   

The Monthly Lunch

    Lunch out on Thursday was lovely - friendly company and good conversations. The food, not so much. We were at Anejo, a Mexican restaurant with a pleasant ambience and accommodating staff in a slightly upscale plaza. I would have liked to window shop after lunch but I had to rush off to my Book club meeting. We were discussing "Hello Beautiful" by Ann Napolitano and I didn't want to miss the discussion.

   Most of the ladies ordered tacos at the Mexican Restaurant but, as I'm not a big fan of tacos, I ordered the House salsa plate. I love salsa and have it at home quite often but always buy the mild version. This one had five different types and two of them were just too spicy for me although I made a valiant effort! The refried beans, the Pico de Gallo and the guacamole were hot but not too much so, so I polished them off with lots of water to wash them down. 

   After one gorgeous day last week we are back to dismal weather - rainy and chilly. I am itching to get started on the garden but, except for clearing some of the leaf detritus from around the crocuses that are just beginning to sprout, that hasn't been possible. Hopefully, next weekend?

Utterly Atrocious!

    First it snowed, then we had ice pellets, now it is raining and, according to the weather man, it will continue until 8:00 a.m. tomorrow! As much as 30 to 60 mms of rain is expected which could result in flooding. I will be checking my basement for puddles! Nothing Spring-like in this weather.

   The temperature, which is currently hovering around zero, is forecast to reach 16C by tomorrow afternoon so all this mess will largely disappear. Meanwhile, if you want to go anywhere you will be slogging through piles of very wet slush. Luckily I have nowhere I need to be before noon tomorrow when I will be joining the RODEO ladies for lunch at a Mexican restaurant (I had been hoping it would be Morocco). Stay tuned to find out how that goes.

Down Time

    Freezing rain forecast overnight and into tomorrow, so we're not done with Winter yet! I don't think I will be stepping out of the house any time soon.

    This last week has been a quiet one for me as there were no classes at the Seniors' Centre. I did find a fitness class at a local church on Wednesday so got a bit of a workout. And there was Bridge on a couple of afternoons which broke up the week. Things will be considerably busier in the coming days.

   Today I was busy in the kitchen basically because I had overstocked the fridge and had a bunch of wilting vegetables to use up. I made a gigantic lasagna which will make at least six servings for the freezer. Also made imitation cabbage rolls which will make 4 meals, one of which I will have tonight with bread from a loaf I baked in the bread machine yesterday. My freezer will be jammed!

Spring Equinox

     Yesterday I ate lunch outside in short sleeves and bare feet. Today it's snowing! Typical Canadian Spring weather.

St. Patrick's Day

    This weekend is traditionally the time to celebrate with the Irish when all things are green (including beer!). On Friday I attended a revue called "Lilt, Laughter and Song" put on by our local Theatre group. Very entertaining with lots of jokes, skits and, of course, plenty of Irish songs. It was very entertaining and concluded with a lively sing-a-long. Beer (not green, just the regular shade) was on tap but I indulged in a glass of wine, just because.

   Spring is definitely arriving with a vengeance and, after some rain this morning, the snowbanks are shrinking and the sidewalks losing their grubby appearance. We will likely have the odd day or night of lower temperatures but the end is in sight. I even spotted some bright green shoots in the vegetable patch against a sunny wall, my early garlic which I planted last Fall. Can't wait to see some Spring flowers poking their heads up but, so far they are still dormant. One good thing, it will be some time until I have to start cutting the grass!

Some Gifts and Freebies

     Nobody doesn't like getting something for free and this month one of our coffee chains has a promotion on that is always very popular. It's called "Roll Up the Rim". The coffee chain is Tim Hortons or "Timmies" if you are local. The idea is that certain of their paper cups hide a surprise under the rim which you roll up once you have finished your beverage.

   We get a 12-cup container for refreshments at our knitting group and this week I managed to snag two cups that offered a free coffee. So, today I got a large decaf cappucino, more than I usually buy, and it was delicious. I dutifully rolled up the rim of that cup and found I had won a donut - the Timmies donuts are seriously yummy. So, on Thursday, along with my second winning coffee I will have a sour cream glazed donut, my favourite. Not a bad haul considering I didn't have to pay for the initial coffee!

   It was oldest grandson's 19th birthday on the weekend and he received a rather unusual gift from his mother. Next year he is moving out of residence into a shared apartment so she gave him a miniature crockpot which will be just right for easy meal preparation once he is living on his own. It just holds enough for one meal and she will stock him up with frozen meals to pop in the crockpot before he leaves for his classes and it will be ready when he gets home from school. I think it's a brilliant idea and much more economical than take out. He is not a bad cook but pre-planning and shopping for groceries is not his forte. At least we know he will now be able to have a nutritious, healthy meal.

Finally Lebanon

    After three aborted attempts to sample the food of Lebanon, we finally made it to Paramount restaurant for lunch today. I have to say the food was delicious but now I am feeling rather overstuffed as it was very rich. I think a little goes a long way with Lebanese food.

   Several people ordered the chicken shawarma but I chose the Veggie Lovers option which included hummus, falafels, an eggplant dip, roasted cauliflower and some other pickled and fried vegetables. Also arriving at the table were huge "balloons" of bread to share and use for scooping up the dip. Quite a novel way of eating. The meal ended with halvah brownies.

    Just a bowl of soup and half a sandwich for dinner tonight!

Shrove Tuesday

    Not sure if I got the date right but we celebrated today with a Pancake Breakfast at the Senior's Centre. The weather has been deplorable recently and was raining today (first rain of Spring) so only hardy souls turned up, around 40 or 50. Still, in my opinion, it was worth braving the elements for a tasty meal of pancakes, sausages, orange juice and coffee for $5! And I made some new friends which is always a bonus.

    I just managed to squeeze it in between a grocery shop, charging my car and making it down to Bridge by 12:15. Cards were OK and I had good partners but wasn't in the money this time around. Next week the community centre is busy with children's programs as it is March Break so we plan to relocate to a nearby pub which will be an interesting change.

   The piles of snow are lingering on and the weather seems to fluctuate between icy winds and snow pellets so we are still some way away from Spring-like weather. Maybe today's rain will signal the start of more clement weather. We can but hope!

The Start of the Meltdown

    The Big Melt has begun and I can now get easily into my driveway - I have been hacking away at the snowbank for the last couple of days of mild temperatures and have widened the  gap somewhat. No doubt we will return to below freezing temperatures in a day or two but taking advantage of this opportunity to start clearing the snow was not to be missed. We even had a glimpse of sun today which helped.

   Last week's exercise classes were cancelled due to our instructor being involved in a weather related (ie. icy roads) traffic accident. I don't think she was hurt but may be without a car for the time being. Just hoping she manages to make it to the seniors' centre this week. I have missed my usual workouts especially as it is virtually impossible to go for a decent walk to get in my daily step count. Too many snowbanks to climb over.

   My oven is on the blink - I think it is the heating element, a fairly easy fix, and I have a guy coming to look at it on Thursday. So, no baking for next week's Knitters and Crafters. Tonight's dinner is a low cook affair, just some pan fried garlic shrimp in a salad, one of my fast and easy recipes!

   I have taken a break from reading our next Book Club book (Louise Penny's "State of Terror") to indulge in lighter fare. It's Stanley Tucci's "What I Ate in One Year", lots of interesting recipes and captivating descriptions of food shopping jaunts and meals he has prepared for a huge list of celebrities. He's a bit of a name dropper! Also, all his favourite restaurants around his current home in London and jaunts he goes on around Europe. How the other half lives!

   

A Third Cancellation

   Our visit to the Lebanese restaurant, scheduled for the third time tomorrow, has been postponed yet again! We have had a massive amount of snow over the last two weeks and getting around is still extremely difficult. Plus more is forecast for tomorrow. It's not just the driving but also clambering over snowbanks when crossing the road. Also, parking lots are a sea of slush and puddles. 

    Our next rendezvous is Thursday March 6 which would have been the date of our next RODEO visit anyway. So, that is two months when we haven't been able to continue with our "Eating Around the World" project. So frustrating!

   So, instead of having a pleasant meal with friends, I will be out tomorrow shovelling or snow blowing my driveway. The snowbanks on either side are now well over my head! The only positive is that the effort to heave the snow onto the top of the pile keeps me warm and is an excellent workout. No need for exercise class for now.

Winter Driving

    Bracing for a big dig tomorrow as we are on the cusp of a major storm. Not particularly cold - just a few degrees below freezing - but the wind is strong and snow and/or freezing rain is forecast to keep falling until tomorrow morning. There's likely to be considerable drifting so I will have to use the snow blower. Must remember to plug in the Lithium battery before I go to bed tonight!

    Judy is staying over tonight as she was anxious about tomorrow's commute. I am very close to her school, only minutes away. Her normal commute is around 30 minutes but with bad road conditions it can take up to 2 hours. Better safe than sorry.

   The cat got his claws trimmed without incident on the weekend which has cut down on the amount of mauling I have to put up with. His favourite thing is to climb on me as soon as I sit down and maneuver, using his claws, into a comfortable position. Ouch!!

   The RODEO lunch which was to have been tomorrow (we were visiting Lebanon) has been cancelled for the second week due to road conditions. Several of the ladies are nervous drivers. Plus there's always the chance that we will be completely snowed in. It's now scheduled for next Thursday so I only hope that the weather gods will co-operate this time.

This, That and the Other

    My scars are finally beginning to fade but the two spots where the biopsies were taken are still a bit sore and itchy. I have been keeping them covered but I think it will be safe to leave them exposed to the fresh air by tomorrow.

   More shovelling today but not very much, so it was just a minor workout. Today was supposed to be our visit to a Lebanese restaurant but several people called off because of the slippery road conditions (we had freezing rain forecast for this afternoon). So it has been decided we will try again next Thursday.

   This worked well for me and my friend Susan as we both were able to attend our monthly book club which is also on the first Thursday of the month. Next year I plan to transfer to a different group that meets on the third Thursday.

   One of the cats is badly in need of a claw trim so I'm hoping Judy will be able to do it - she does it for her cat). Otherwise it will have to be a visit to the vet as there's no way I'm going to tackle it!

Rather Unpleasant Day

    I had my annual checkup at the dermatologist booked for yesterday, and to have her remove a skin tag from my neck which has been annoying me for some time. However, one look at me and she went to grab her vapourizer (not sure what it is called but she uses it to blast incipient problem areas) and set about zapping me.

   Unfortunately she also found a couple of more serious spots and had the nurse take biopsies to send for testing. It's likely basal cell carcinomas which I've had in the past but, hopefully they have been caught early for quick treatment. I will know more once the results come back from the lab.

   So, now I look like a wounded warrior with red areas which will fade quickly, and a couple of band aids on the places that were scraped for the biopsies. The skin tag removal was deemed cosmetic so wasn't covered by OHIP but I was happy to pay the fee to have it gone. 

   Tonight I have treated myself to a take-out dinner - dim sum and sushi from the local Chinese grocery store. We have several in our area but this one has a very tasty hot table and items are marked down at the end of the day. A win-win for both the store and the customers!

Shovelling

     Several inches of snow overnight and I hadn't plugged in my snowblower battery so I was out early, shovel in hand. 

   It was quite easy work and I had half the driveway cleared before I left for my day at the Seniors' Centre. Surprisingly quiet there today due partly because it is the Chinese New Year today but also because the more cautious were staying home until the roads and sidewalks were safely cleared. I didn't have any trouble on the roads and my side street had been cleared by the time I got home.

   Another half an hour of shovelling got the whole driveway clear but by then the wind was picking up and, combined with a drop in temperature, made it a bit of a struggle. It's currently -8C but with the wind chill it feels more like -18C. I was very glad to come back inside to warm up. Tomorrow should be an easier day.

   

Starting a New Regime

    Went grocery shopping this morning after my Fitness class (Stretch and Strength, and, boy, did Alison stretch us out, we were gasping by the time we finished). I visited the bulk food store first to stock up on various items then a quick whip around the grocery store for fresh things and a few staples. I'm sure I was in and out in 20 minutes even though the store was quite a bit busier than my usual early morning shop. I will be back to my normal routine next week.

    That was pretty much it for today although I baked caramel bars this afternoon to use up the rest of the chocolate chips. The bars are now in the freezer away from temptation and all the chocolate in the house is used up. Let the resolutions begin!

Testing my Resolutions

   Minus 17C again this morning but it is set to rise from now on to the end of the week, thank goodness! I usually go out early for my grocery top up on Wednesday - mostly fresh fruit and veg - but decided to postpone the trip until later in the week as I still have plenty to keep me going. 

   I am finally using up the last of the holiday supplies and liquor as I plan to go "dry" for Lent. Tonight's dinner will be a smoked salmon and goat cheese salad and tomorrow I will return all the empties accumulated over the holidays. I had the last of a bottle of sherry for my pre-prandial snack today and all the wine is gone. I'm also going to go chocolate-free until Easter. That may be the hardest thing to do! I may get into the baking chocolate at some point to satisfy my craving for some dark chocolate.

   Yesterday was our monthly retired teachers' lunch and, although it was lovely to meet up with friends and share news, the meal was rather uninspiring. A nice enough salad and a very yummy Tiramisu for dessert,  but the main course Lasagna was very mediocre - just pasta and a bit of tomato sauce, not much meat and no cheese which are essential for a proper lasagna. A lot of complaints so we may have to look for an alternative location. Good spots that can accommodate 75 to 80 people are hard to find in our part of the city.

   That's it for today. Stay safe and warm wherever you are!

Polar Vortex

    Some severe cold heading our way tomorrow due to a polar vortex (strong winds circling down from the Arctic). At the moment it's only -6C but will drop down to -14C overnight and stay around that mark. So, in the minus double digits for the next few days and the wind chill making it feel several degrees colder. Only advantage that it will likely be too cold for snow.

    Last week went by fast but I came down with some sort of virus on Friday and have spent most of the weekend in bed, sleeping or reading. Today I finally feel like eating again so I must be on the mend!

   The coming week looks to be quite busy so I will just have to bundle up and brave the elements. I will definitely be skipping a daily walk unless the sun is shining.

Spoke Too Soon

    The snow arrived on Sunday so I spent an hour clearing the driveway with the snow blower. Today's snow was just a dusting but I cleared it anyway as the sun was shining and I was happy to be outdoors. The wind was strong and blowing the snow back in as I worked, wind chill -16C.

  Bridge this afternoon and, thankfully, I had better cards than yesterday. It's all about the luck of the deal and often I get pretty dismal hands. But it is still fun and keeps the old brain working. I also do the puzzles in the newspaper every day and am usually successful.

   One of the cats had to go to the vet yesterday for an injection and Judy came by to pick her up. What a job corralling her into the cat container - she had to wear protective gear to avoid the claws and teeth! But, mission accomplished and no one is any the worse for wear. Never a dull moment at Mia Casa!

   I have made some potato salad for dinner and will also have a green salad and some garlic shrimp. Some nights I just don't feel like cooking but this will be fast and easy. 

Hibernating

   Can't believe I haven't posted since before Christmas as the days between Christmas and New Year's are usually a "down time" chez moi. I did get started on a few twice-yearly chores but soon tired of that!

   The visit by the family on Christmas Day went off well despite the fact that they were accompanied by two dogs they were babysitting. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am currently fostering two cats who have been through a bit of trauma in the past few months and are very skittish. It seemed best to corral them into the upper floor of my house while the dogs were here but they let their displeasure be known once they were allowed downstairs again (messes on the carpet etc.). They are back to their normal behaviour now, thankfully.

   Since then I have been lazily filling my days with reading lots of books and working on a very tricky puzzle. Activities at the Senior's Centre started up again this week as well as Book Club and Knitting group. I was one of the presenters at book club (we read "None of This is True" by Lisa Jewell and, although a small group attended, had a lively discussion) and brought home lots of tasty nibbles to snack on. Back to "auld claes and parritch" (basic food and clothes), even our RTO Executive meeting was by Zoom this week!

    The weather here hasn't been as wintery as we are used to so far this month. Minus temperatures and cold northerly winds but (fingers crossed) not much in the way of snow. I am happy not to have had to do much shovelling so far this winter!