Domesticity

   Baked a loaf today and it turned out perfectly. I have been fiddling with the yeast recently and I think I have finally got it right. It was a wholewheat and cracked wheat loaf and I will mostly use it for toast as it is a little heavy for sandwiches.

    I was out this afternoon at an RSCDS meeting and we were served snacks before heading home. I hadn't had much lunch so I nibbled quite a bit, so dinner will be later tonight. I am making a sausage and cabbage casserole from "The English Kitchen" blog - written by a transplanted American, no less! Not very healthy but last night I had salmon and quinoa with green beans so, on the whole, the weekend has been quite healthy.

   I had to miss dancing on Friday as my hip was quite painful but it is feeling considerably better today so I think I will be able to dance tomorrow night and should be fit for tennis on Tuesday. I haven't heard from Hendrina yet but hopefully she has been able to put together a foursome.

The bread machine did all the work!

 

The Hallowe'en house the kids decorated last week - looks yummy!

Golf Indoors

   The public courses are still open for another week at least but, with this miserable weather (rainy and cold today, only 9C), I have decided to try indoor golf. The local Rec. Centre has a drop-in clinic on Thursday mornings - free for seniors -  so I took myself over there today and got some tips on my drive and short game. Only three other guys there so we each got a personal lesson. After an hour of hitting I had had enough so headed home for coffee and a lemon cranberry scone. However, I will definitely go back next week as I already felt I was hitting better.

   Nothing going on yesterday, although I thought I had an appointment with my rheumatologist. However, it turns out it's next Wednesday. After that just a quick stop off at the library to pick up "The Bone Clocks" by David Mitchell. I have really got into it - can't put it down - as he writes intriguing time-shift stories that interlock with each other. He is the author of "Cloud Atlas" which had a similar theme.

   I went for a swim this afternoon and managed 14 lengths this time. I'm hoping to gradually increase this each week or so. I spent quite a long time in the hot tub as my hip was painful (all the bending over to pick up golf balls). It seems to be worse in the evenings when I am just sitting. Hope it clears up before dancing tomorrow night.

   I made a huge batch of butternut squash and parsnip soup yesterday and will be eating it for lunch for the next few days. The addition of the parsnip made for quite a new taste. The recipe I use has an apple and apple juice in it but I had no apples so the parsnip was a good substitute. Tonight for dinner it's liver and mushrooms with leftover broccoli casserole. Yum!!

Back on Standard Time

    The clocks went back an hour on Saturday night so now we have light when we wake up but it is dark by 5:00 p.m. I certainly prefer getting up to daylight in the morning but find it a bit depressing when it is dark so early in the evening.

   Although it has become much colder, Monday turned out to be a pretty nice day. I spent the morning on the golf course (got two pars but the rest of the round was pretty bad) and had my sweater off by half way round. The sun disappeared in the afternoon but by then I had managed to rake the leaves off the lawn and cut the grass for, hopefully, the last time this year. In the evening I took Marilyn with me to dancing and we had a great turnout and lots of interesting dances. She seemed to enjoy herself so hopefully she will return.

   Today was still mild but rainy. Indoor tennis in the morning for a couple of hours with Hendrina, Carol and Anna. The court is at Hendrina and Carol's complex, very nice and, best of all, free! I hope they invite me again. Then home for a quick lunch before heading over to the Senior's Centre for a Bridge lesson. I actually managed to win a couple of hands so was quite pleased with myself. The hardest part for me is the bidding and ending up in the correct contract. Right now I am just guessing as I haven't learned all the rules which seem to be  myriad.

   Basa fillets tonight and a broccoli casserole. I think I will also cook some apples in a pudding. This dreary weather makes me crave comfort food!

A Cold Start to November

    Not much on the agenda today other than laundry and grocery shopping. I managed to rack up 1600 points today - only another 7000 to go before I get my free groceries. I love PC Points!

   We woke up to snow on the roofs this morning and it continued to snow until around noon. No accumulation on the ground, thank goodness. Now it is dull and overcast with 5C on the thermometer. I decided to forego any gardening today as it is just too chilly. But I am reading a good novel so the day has gone in quite quickly. It is "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, quite a suspenseful story although I saw the movie last week so I know how it ends. No suspense!

   Dinner tonight is liver and onions with mashed sweet potato. I'll probably add some sautéed mushrooms as well. Right now I am broiling a red pepper, which I will then allow to steam in a plastic bag before peeling. I really like it in a sandwich for lunch now that the tomatoes I brought in from the garden last month are almost gone. It has been nice to have fresh tomatoes for sandwiches and salads.