I went out to cut the grass this afternoon and noticed the sky was very dark. Sure enough, before I was half way through, the storm rolled in and deposited a fair amount of rain, accompanied by some distant thunder. This is the first substantial rain we have had in a couple of weeks and should revive the grass, which was getting quite yellow. I will finish cutting it tomorrow.
Lots of tennis in the last few days - a good set of mixed doubles at Bridlewood on Sunday morning, the Labour Day round robin at Don Mills, followed by a barbecue lunch (great sausages and awesome desserts) on Monday, and today, our first visit to Belbury tennis courts which will be our home away from home for the next 6 to 8 weeks while the new lights are being installed at Don Mills. There was coffee but not a great crowd - maybe some people had trouble finding the place!
It has been very hot and muggy the last few days but the storm seems to have cooled things off. I noticed that the temperature dropped from 26C to 21C once the rain started but the sun is coming out again (albeit almost down for the night). After my strenuous tennis this morning - I played almost continually from 9:00 to 11:30 - I ate a huge lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, cherry tomatoes and veggie juice - I don't think I need much dinner, possibly a salad of some sort as I have lots of vegetables to use up. Still watching the U.S. Open tennis but all the Canadians were eliminated yesterday. Quel domage!!
A diary of my life in retirement - food, books, gardening, travel, grandkids, and other pastimes that fill my days.
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Friday, 29 August 2014
Last Day of Kaffeeklatch
A few goodbye's today as we finished off Kaffeeklatch at Don Mills. A much more pleasant day as the temperature was in the low 20's and no wind. Not a great turnout, surprisingly, but it is the beginning of the last holiday weekend of the summer and a lot of people head out of the city for a few days.
Next week some of us are joining another club, Bellbury, for an impromptu social on Tuesdays and Fridays. There probably won't be coffee but it will be fun nevertheless and an opportunity to extend the tennis season by a few more weeks.
Cooking some shrimp for dinner tonight. I will probably combine them with pasta in a sweet potato and sour cream sauce as I need to use up leftovers. I am trying to clear out my freezer and now just have some chicken thighs to use up sometime on the weekend.
I picked my potatoes recently (got a fair sized haul) and had some with chicken and corn last night. They were very tasty! I also dug up the garlic and it is looking very good hanging in the garage to dry. I will save one clove to plant later in the fall for next year's crop. The tomatoes are ripening fast and are very juicy - should keep ripening for the next five or six weeks as there are still plenty on the vines and flowers still opening. I have another pepper on the plant so hope it will turn red before the first frost. The "critters" got all my eggplants this year!
Next week some of us are joining another club, Bellbury, for an impromptu social on Tuesdays and Fridays. There probably won't be coffee but it will be fun nevertheless and an opportunity to extend the tennis season by a few more weeks.
Cooking some shrimp for dinner tonight. I will probably combine them with pasta in a sweet potato and sour cream sauce as I need to use up leftovers. I am trying to clear out my freezer and now just have some chicken thighs to use up sometime on the weekend.
I picked my potatoes recently (got a fair sized haul) and had some with chicken and corn last night. They were very tasty! I also dug up the garlic and it is looking very good hanging in the garage to dry. I will save one clove to plant later in the fall for next year's crop. The tomatoes are ripening fast and are very juicy - should keep ripening for the next five or six weeks as there are still plenty on the vines and flowers still opening. I have another pepper on the plant so hope it will turn red before the first frost. The "critters" got all my eggplants this year!
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Tennis on TV
The U.S. Open started on Monday so I have been watching the early matches with a small degree of enthusiasm. Three Canadians are still in the mix although Frank Dancevic is going down to a Portuguese player as we speak. Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard are both through to the 2nd. round.
Yesterday was extremely hot, our hottest day this summer, but, luckily, it has cooled off again. Tennis yesterday was really no fun as I was pouring with sweat by the second set. But I did manage a third set after a chance to cool down. This is our last week at Don Mills as they are closing for maintenance (installing new lights) after Labour Day. There will be a social next Monday and then we will be playing at another club for September and October.
Today was very pleasant and the grandkids were over for a swim. We didn't manage to get James in the water, despite it being over 80F in the pool, but the other two and Judy had a grand time. I had my last visit from the "pool guys" today and will handle the maintenance for the rest of the summer, probably only a couple of more weeks.
I have quite a glut of tomatoes and made some tomato chutney the other day. It started off as a big pan of tomatoes, apple and raisins but cooked down to just 2 small jars. Hope they will turn out well.
Yesterday was extremely hot, our hottest day this summer, but, luckily, it has cooled off again. Tennis yesterday was really no fun as I was pouring with sweat by the second set. But I did manage a third set after a chance to cool down. This is our last week at Don Mills as they are closing for maintenance (installing new lights) after Labour Day. There will be a social next Monday and then we will be playing at another club for September and October.
Today was very pleasant and the grandkids were over for a swim. We didn't manage to get James in the water, despite it being over 80F in the pool, but the other two and Judy had a grand time. I had my last visit from the "pool guys" today and will handle the maintenance for the rest of the summer, probably only a couple of more weeks.
I have quite a glut of tomatoes and made some tomato chutney the other day. It started off as a big pan of tomatoes, apple and raisins but cooked down to just 2 small jars. Hope they will turn out well.
Sunday, 24 August 2014
A Quiet Weekend
Not much happening this weekend. Laundry and grocery shopping on Saturday - I stopped at the corn stand on the way home, his cobs are so sweet and tender!
Out early to the tennis courts this morning. I joined a threesome with Chan and a young couple. We just hit for an hour as Chan complained that playing a game or set was too much for him. I find just hitting much more tiring - hence my early departure. It was not at all busy but the courts were filled by the time I left.
Cleaned the pool this afternoon and then had a nice, refreshing swim. The water was 74F and that's without the heater - not too shabby this late in the summer.
I have been eating chicken and sweet potato casserole for the last three days, but it is finally gone so tonight I will have a nice piece of salmon with quinoa and green beans. I am very excited that the first episode of the "Outlander" series is on tonight at 10:00p.m. - hope I manage to stay awake until then.
Out early to the tennis courts this morning. I joined a threesome with Chan and a young couple. We just hit for an hour as Chan complained that playing a game or set was too much for him. I find just hitting much more tiring - hence my early departure. It was not at all busy but the courts were filled by the time I left.
Cleaned the pool this afternoon and then had a nice, refreshing swim. The water was 74F and that's without the heater - not too shabby this late in the summer.
I have been eating chicken and sweet potato casserole for the last three days, but it is finally gone so tonight I will have a nice piece of salmon with quinoa and green beans. I am very excited that the first episode of the "Outlander" series is on tonight at 10:00p.m. - hope I manage to stay awake until then.
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