An Easy Day

    I made a jar of pickled red onions this afternoon and that has been the total sum of my domestic endeavours. I have been working on my tax return and thought I would be able to finish it today. However, I found an error on my practice form and had to redo the whole thing. So, it will be another day of trudging through it. Only positive is that I believe I might get some money back from the government for once!

   There were a few snowflakes this afternoon but, on the whole, the weather has been improving. Son and DIL were staying for a few days (they are moving back to Ontario from B.C. next month) and they helped me bring up my garden furniture from the basement. So I am ready for when the nice weather finally arrives. Can't wait!

Just a Bunch of Winos

    Today it was another meeting of the "Wine Knows", the wine-tasting group I belong to. A wonderful time was had by all and several tasty wines were sampled, not to mention a beautiful array of nibbles!

 We had two white wines, two reds and one sparkling wine. It was almost everyone's favourite. One of the reds was very popular too. so I will be looking for these two at the liquor store for my next party.

   There was an assortment of cheeses, cured meats and fruit which got well and truly demolished while we sipped the wine and with the last bottle we had home-made biscotti as a sweet finish. Delicious!

Not Finished with Winter yet

     We had snow again overnight, not much and it has mostly melted but the wind is bitter and strong so another indoor day. Tonight will be -5C but after that it starts to warm up a bit. The nets are up at the tennis courts but, apart from one brilliant day last week, it has been too cold to get out there. 

   Finally, with the help of my son, I have finally figured out how to import photos from my phone to Blogger, just some problems adjusting the size. My current header photo is the Thai Restaurant we visited in March and I will try to import another now. 

It was quite a spectacular place and had a Michelin ranking but not the top rank. This week, since we have reached the letter "U" and there are no Uruguayan restaurants in our neck of the woods, we have chosen United Kingdom so it's going to be fish and chips!

Too Much!

   Hate to keep moaning about the weather but, honestly, this past week has just been ridiculous! After a few Spring-like days, it's been back to winter with a vengeance.

   This morning we woke to another heavy snow fall and a biting wind (-12C with the wind chill making it feel like -20C). I had to go out around 10:00 a.m. so went out earlier to scrape off the car. Once the snow had been cleared I found that the windshield wipers were thoroughly iced over and all the windows coated with ice so it was a very cold, miserable experience. Half an hour later it was done but I had to go inside to thaw out before getting on the road. Driving was not too bad thanks to Works Dept. and their snow and salt trucks.  We are still struggling into boots, winter coats, gloves and hats, and it's almost April, for goodness' sake!

Blizzard!

     We're not done with winter yet! While I was out this morning it started to snow heavily and blow up a storm. Driving home was quite tricky as the snow was piling up quickly and the roads were getting quite slick so I drove very cautiously.

   I was very relieved to arrive home safely and tucked the car away in the garage. I won't venture out until later tomorrow to see whether I need to start shovelling, depending on how much snow has accumulated or whether I can leave it to melt. I see some of my neighbours have already started to dig out but I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow if it is really impassable. Nice to have that luxury!

Eating from Thailand

    This months eating adventure was to a Thai restaurant in a small local mall with several other Far East eateries and stores, not somewhere I would normally go. it's always exciting to find a new and exotic location nearby.

   The eatery was called Koh Lipe Thai Kitchen and there were 8 of us from my Probus club. On the menu were a variety of dishes to choose from but most were labelled hot e.g. spicy, so I was somewhat limited in what I could choose so I opted for the safe and familiar Pad Thai. The helping was huge and I only ate half of it before I was full. The rest came home for dinner. It was tasty but a little light on vegetables so I cooked up some brussell sprouts to have with it. Another complete meal for the price of one!

   Norma had made a delicious cake from a Thai cookbook so we had something sweet to take home to remind us of our latest cooking adventure. I took a ton of photos of the food and the decor but am having trouble transferring them from my phone. Maybe next time!

It's Shaping Up to Get Busy

    No change to the scenery outside my front door as we had a light snowfall overnight. I did venture out to walk to the drug store (ten minutes there and the same back) as I had a prescription to pick up but it was bitterly cold so I didn't linger too long. Still well wrapped up in layers and struggling into my boots before venturing outdoors.

   I spent the afternoon catching up on world news (very depressing) in the newspaper but now need something to brighten the mood. Hope there is something decent on TV tonight! Other than that it's been a quiet weekend with just a few chores and lots of time for reading. This month's Book Club book is "The Women" by Kristen Hannah and I am well into it. It's set during the Vietnam War so, again, rather depressing, but maybe things will turn around as the story progresses.

    Tomorrow is a busy day with Crafters group in the morning and Bridge in the afternoon. Then the week tends to get even busier and there's a lunch out on Thursday so lots to look forward to.

Chinese New Year

     Tomorrow is actually Chinese New Year but I celebrated today by making dumplings and fritters, Chinese style. I used leftover vegetables and meat from last night's dinner and wrapped small spoonfulls in Wonton wrappers. They are in the fridge chilling at the moment and I will fry them up soon to serve with pickled ginger and soy or plum sauce. It should be tasty.

   It's milder at the moment but rather dull and dreary. Good news is that I received an email from the tennis club saying Early Bird registration starts in March so I can start to look forward to getting out on the tennis courts. The club doesn't actually open until May 1st. but at least it's something to anticipate. Can't wait!

Winterlicious

    Blogger told me that "Winterlicious" is not a true word but, here in Toronto, it certainly is! We also have "Summerlicious", and these are two festivals put on by local restaurants to encourage new customers (or regulars) to try their meals.  They offer a set menu of a starter, main course and dessert for a ridiculously reduced price (today it was $34) and the lunch we had today was truly delicious! 

    I went with a group from the Seniors' Centre and had ricotta and caramelized onion Bruschetta, seared salmon with a barley and walnut salad and cappuccino trifle and coffee for dessert. Other choices were spaghetti and meatballs, spicy chicken and pork tenderloin but I think I had the best choice. I also had a glass of rose wine which was extra but perfectly complemented the salmon. No dinner tonight although I may snack on something later. Right now I'm still stuffed, I don't often eat a three course meal.

   The weather has warmed up a bit but the snow piles are still huge - I am still digging out the last snow fall which, after some rain yesterday, has now developed a crust of ice, very hard to heft onto the pile at the side of my driveway which is now over my head. No need to work on my biceps!

Snowed In Again!

    Huge blizzard hovering over this part of the continent and we have already received about 30 cms. of the white stuff. It started snowing overnight and has continued all day so who knows how much of the white stuff will have accumulated by the time it stops? The wind is also very strong blowing the snow into immense drifts. 

    I went out with the snowblower this afternoon and cleared the driveway but it will need to be done again tomorrow. First I had to dig a path to the front and back doors before I could even get the snowblower out and my hands were already frozen before I even started. So, after a warm up I was out again, this time I got it done. I will plug in the battery before I go to bed so it is ready in the morning. Luckily I don't have to be anywhere tomorrow (my Bridge game has been cancelled) but I hope the snow plough comes round to clear the road as I would like to be out by Tuesday. 

   It is supposed to be cold all week, never getting much above -10C. With the strong winds it feels much colder but not as bad as some parts of Northern Ontario and the Prairie provinces who are experiencing extreme wind chill temperatures!

Digging Out

      After a few mild Spring-like days we got a double whammy - frigid temperatures and a huge dump of snow. The schools were closed and people were asked to avoid any unnecessary travel. I didn't have to be told twice as I was well and truly home bound!

   This was yesterday. The temperature was in minus double digits all day and it snowed and snowed. We ended up with about 30 cms. which my little snowblower has a hard time handling. In fact some of the drifts were even deeper. The snow stopped around 3:00 p.m. and I went out to make a start on clearing it but only managed a path to the driveway and back door. The driveway itself defeated me and there was no way I could drive through so much snow. So, today, the family came over to dig me out. 

   It took three of them less than an hour to clear my route to the street (Judy on the snowblower and the two guys with shovels) so I was able to get back on schedule. The side roads and highways were quite clear but still some slippery spots so I drove cautiously. I was surprised how many people actually made it to the Seniors Centre - my ultimate destination. Yesterday, seemingly, it was a ghost town. The only person who arrived for their class came by public transit. Those buses can get through anything!

   There's more snow in the forecast but, hopefully, not as much. And the temperature is a balmy -4C!

Hint of Spring

    It got up to 7C today, the sun was shining and the snow piles were melting (a bit). Tomorrow, more of the same but with rain. 

   More like a mid-winter thaw which we get from time to time, and the weather will revert to more seasonal temperatures by the middle of next week - an overnight temperature of -11C is forecast on Wednesday. I made the most of it by clearing the last of the ice from the freezing rain off the driveway and just enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. 

   I had a Zoom meeting this morning but managed to escape with a flimsy excuse just before noon. Then it was a quick trip to the electronics store as I am getting set up with a new cell phone that has all the "bells and whistles". lt will take me a while to get up to speed on all the new stuff. The sales person was very helpful and even got me a better price than my previous company which is always welcome. 

    Some boneless chicken thighs for dinner tonight which I will have with some eggplant parmigiana which I made yesterday - so tasty! I have restocked the freezer, just need to make some ready meals and I will be set for a month or two.

Happy New Year!

     I woke to a beautiful sunny day with a glorious white sparkling covering of snow, but......oh, so cold! This is often the way - when the skies are clear the temperature drops dramatically. Today started at -14C and only got up to -9C so it was mostly an indoor day for me. I did spend half an hour clearing the driveway and the exercise did keep me warm, but I was happy to come inside for lunch and a piping hot bowl of tasty soup.

   I had a very small weekly shop yesterday as I am trying to eat out of the freezer this week. I figured it was a good opportunity to make sure nothing is lurking in there from days gone by and I will start to restock it in a week or two. Yesterday was the last piece of fish and today the last two chicken thighs are roasting with some vegetables. There is still some ground beef to use up and bacon slices so that will take me through the weekend. Also, I have pretty much used up all the alcohol purchased for the Christmas and New Years celebrations so plan to have a "dry" January. I was invited to the Markham family on Tuesday and took the last bottle of red wine as grandson was cooking a brisket - his claim to fame, he is an aspiring chef - and it was very tasty. 

   As far as New Year resolutions go, my main one is to plan to downsize from a house to a flat or condo. This past year I have found the upkeep of the house, and especially the garden, has been a bit overwhelming so will try to get my head around living in a smaller space. And getting rid of the accumulation of junk acquired over the 27 years since my last move!

   

Snowed In!

    Lots of fun yesterday when the family (daughter and hubby, and three grandkids) were over for the Christmas meal. Everything went smoothly with only a couple of mis-steps, and lots of leftovers for me to eat in the coming days. I did send half of the plum pudding and some custard home with them as it was a big one. Gifts were exchanged although we had agreed to keep it simple this year, and quite a bit of wine consumed by the adults. Oldest grandson has reached drinking age but declined to indulge as he hasn't acquired a taste for it yet. Plus he was the "designated driver"!

   It started snowing and blowing a hooley early this morning so I haven't ventured outside. The snow is piling up on doorsteps and around windows, making any excursion outside pretty near impossible. It should stop soon and I will try to go outside tomorrow and view the damage, and see if I will be able to clear it with my little snowblower. It will depend on how deep the drifts are. Luckily I don't have to go anywhere until Monday. By that time the roads should be cleared. Meanwhile I have a new puzzle on the go and some books to read.

    It looked like we were going to have a green Christmas but it snowed overnight, very wet and heavy but, luckily, only a couple of inches, so not too much of a struggle to clear the driveway to get the car out. It should hang around for at least a couple of days. 
I had a couple of last minute errands to run today but I think (and hope) I have everything for the Christmas guests. 

   

     Had to post today so that I could include my favourite Christmas song which no one else seems to favour - Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas".

Snow And More Snow

    It started yesterday so I shoveled that. Then more overnight and I was out at 8:30 as I had somewhere to go and needed a path for my car, but it was still snowing. Got home around 1:00 p.m. and after lunch and a nap I was out again to clear off enough room on my driveway to park the car. I will finish the rest of the driveway after I post this. Snow is forecast several times over the next few days so this is far from the last of the shoveling for December. Some years we hardly get any snow until after New Year! And then there are still three more months of the darn stuff. The only positive aspect was that it wasn't very cold, around the freezing mark, but it is forecast to be -12C overnight tonight which is why I want to get it done now.

  I had some help, one of the neighbour's kids, which made a big difference but she (yes, it was a girl) has her own driveway to keep clear, so I can't count on her always showing up. Now I am in a quandary whether to pay her as she is still in High School so is probably saving for further education. I will wait and see how often she helps me then give her something although she very well might refuse it.

    Friends from the Seniors' Centre had planned a meal out today but, sensibly, we cancelled as the roads were really quite slippery. We'll reschedule at a later date although it's always hard to find a day when everyone is available. In any case we all had a huge feast last Friday at the Mandarin buffet so can do with skipping the overeating for a few more days!

The RODEO Ladies Eat Spanish

    After a quiet week of eating at home I have two meals out this week. Today the ladies who lunch ate at Tapagria Restaurant in Markham, just a short drive from our base. It was a very quiet room, not particularly Spanish in decor but charming nonetheless. We ordered Tapas to share - our group of four chose Jambon Croquets, beef empinadas and Scallops Rothschild. It wasn't a great amount of food but very tasty. The other group had similar but also battered squid rings. They looked delicious and we wished we had ordered them too! The most interesting event was the table of 8 next to us ordered a paella which arrived at the table in a huge pan into which they all delved with gusto. Next time that will be our choice!

    Tomorrow (doesn't that always happen, two in a row) the Seniors will be at The Mandarin buffet for the Christmas lunch. I must be careful not to overdo it so I will wear a snug pair of pants to remind me to watch the portions. There will be much jollity, loads of prizes and a sing-a-long, so it will be a fun afternoon.

   It has been really cold this week (I believe tonight it may go down to -12C) with a bitter wind and some snow but not too much. We will soldier on regardless and just keep well wrapped up. 

Looking Back Over a Busy Week

    It's been a busy week and I had to go back to my social calendar to make sure I didn't miss anything.

   We had a new player join us at Bridge on Monday and she's coming again tomorrow , so far, so good. But she does normally play at another table so we will just have to see how long that lasts. Tuesday was the monthly meeting of RWTO and it was a Christmas lunch of turkey, stuffing etc. with Carolers for the entertainment. We don't meet in December.

   Wednesday was my usual stint in the kitchen at the Seniors' Centre and it was quieter than usual as the fitness classes were cancelled. But it was also the first day of the Christmas Bazaar which brought in a few extra people. I didn't bring any money so avoided buying anything - trying to declutter! 

   Thursday was another lunch and Craft sale. Only bought some home made marmalade but there were some lovely crafts so it was fun to look around. The meal was good, too - roast beef and a mound of vegetables, all beautifully cooked.

   On Friday I had a ticket for the theatre and was supposed to meet friends for dinner beforehand but I wasn't feeling great so arranged to meet them at the theatre. Unfortunately, I lay down for a short nap and promptly fell asleep and nearly missed the show. Had a horrendous rush to get there and had to sit at the back for the first act, then got my (front row) seat after the intermission. The play was "so-so".

   Friday was also my granddaughters' 18th birthday but we put off getting together as we were both busy. So we went out for brunch today instead. It was nice to get her on her own as her brothers tend to take centre stage at family gatherings.

    Phew! That was one busy week and, truth be told, too much over eating. I will have to cut back from now until  the lead up to Christmas! 

Wine Tasting

   Yesterday I hosted the November meeting of the Wine tasting group. It was lots of fun with 9 of us trying out 5 wines and voting on their merits using a chart to check different attributes. This was only the second meeting of our group but was definitely the most fun-filled as you can imagine after tasting all the wines. There's quite a bit of wine left over so I will be enjoying it for the next few days.

   The theme I had chosen was "Wines from the southern hemisphere" and someone did guess correctly. The most popular wine was an Australian Shiraz, Jacob's Creek Double Barrel 2022, and the most expensive (which actually came in third most popular) was a Pinot Grigio from New Zealand, Oyster Bay. There were also wines from South Africa, Argentina and Chile. Our next meeting will be in January. Looking forward to that. 

   Today has been chilly with a few flurries so I have had a quiet day at home. I have started soaking the fruit for the Christmas plum pudding which I will start next Sunday. Funny to be already thinking about Christmas but the days and weeks will fill up quickly with seasonal activities, no doubt. 

Still Very Wintery

    The snow has finally stopped falling and, with a temperature of 4C today, has mostly disappeared. However, we are due some more tomorrow which is disheartening.

   I happened to be in the drug store this morning and noticed there was space at the counter so asked if I could get my shots. I basically snuck in between people who had made an appointment. So I opted for both the 'flu shot and Covid so that's done and dusted. Seemingly, the flu shot isn't targeting the current strain of the virus but I'm sure it's better than nothing. No side effects so far, I don't usually have any.

   My Monday Bridge group met yesterday for the first time since last Spring, but just three of us. We managed to coerce someone to be our fourth player and had a nice afternoon so will try again next week.  Usually there are a few people whiling away the time there, let's hope we are lucky again. Huge turnout at the Tuesday Bridge group, we needed an extra table to accommodate everyone who showed up despite (or maybe because of) the lousy weather. We had 11 tables!